In America right now, we use words like 'smart' to talk about bombs. American rhetoric is grounded in ideas of capital-G Good, capital-E Evil, and it's very clear who is on which side. But in a book you can do just the opposite. You can use all lower-case words.

Food serves two parallel purposes: it nourishes and it helps you remember. Eating and storytelling are inseparable-the saltwater is also tears; the honey not only tastes sweet, but makes us think of sweetness; the matzo is the bread of our affliction.

It was one of the best days of my life, a day during which I lived my life and didn't think about my life at all.

Then I have some bad news for you, because humans are going to destroy each other as soon as it becomes easy enough to, which will be very soon.

Sometimes you have to put your fears in order.

She wanted nothing more than someone to miss, to touch, with whom to speak like a child, with whom to be a child.

What is being awake if not interpreting our dreams, or dreaming if not interpreting our wake?