The two real political parties in America are the Winners and the Losers.

I beg you to believe the most ridiculous superstition of all: that humanity is at the center of the universe, the fulfiller or frustrateor of the grandest dreams of God Almighty.

The more pain I train myself to stand, the more I learn. You are afraid of pain now, Unk, but you won't learn anything if you don't invite the pain. And the more you learn, the gladder you will be to stand the pain.

I go on many thrilling adventures and wondrous, profound escapades through books.

We were German-Americans in a British colony, so we were outsiders.

The complicated futility of ignorance.

Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.