The power of a book lies in its power to turn a solitary act into a shared vision. As long as we have books, we are not alone.

Girls learn how to relate to men from the way their fathers love them. And if their fathers really love them and want the very best for them, then they've seen that kind of good behavior that they'd want in a husband.

As long as we have books, we are not alone.

We see all around the world where women's rights are denied, where governments don't believe in educating their girls. There are 800 million people in the world who are illiterate and 75 percent of them are women and girls.

When you reach out to others in need, when you reach out to the world, you really do have a satisfying life by helping others.

It was an honor and a thrill to have the chance to meet His Holiness, Pope Benedict, and then to have lunch with Prime Minister Berlusconi.... I think Italy and the U. S. have a very strong friendship and relationship, and I'm proud of that.

I have always admired organizations that help children grow and learn, and organizations that protect and shelter children when no one else does. And I wanted to draw attention to these organizations and recognize the contributions they were making to the country and to our children in particular.