The economy is a thoughtless weather system.

You can't teach people to write well. Writing well is something God lets you do or declines to let you do.

My ancient history teacher, Millie Lloyd, should have worn a medal for her performance at the battle of Thermopylae. She was excited and we were excited.

We're a terribly lonesome society. For all I know, all societies are. You can make a few new friends, that's all. You can't change history. History is happening to us now.

If people insist on living as if there's no tomorrow, there really won't be one.

What had made me move through so many dead and pointless years was curiosity.

There are plenty of good reasons for fighting, I said, but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty Himself hates with you, too.