In those fifty, the Old Man made me take religion seriously. I'd never been religious, but he told us that religion is important whether or not we believed in one, the same way that historical events are important whether or not you personally lived through them.

When I look at my room, I see a girl who loves books.

It's just that I learned a while ago that the best way to get people to like you is not to like them too much.

She had the kind of fingers you want to interlace with your own.

The minister said, “Let us pray,” but as everyone else bowed their head, I could only stare slack-jawed at the sight of Peter Van Houten. After a moment, he whispered, “We gotta fake pray,” and bowed his head.

I was not religious, but I liked rituals. I liked the idea of connecting an action with remembering.

Indiana,’ he said. ‘They steal the land from the Indians and leave the name, yes?