People give themselves to you, in their talking, and in other ways, if you are quiet and patient and let them, and not in such a damned rush to give yourself to them you go bat-blind and deaf.

Too late, he recalled Miles's dictum that the reward for a job well done was usually a harder job.

Whether you function as welders or inspectors, the laws of physics are implacable lie-detectors. You may fool men. You will never fool the metal.

You should have fallen in love with a happy man, if you wanted happiness. But no, you had to fall for the breathtaking beauty of pain.

Women do desperately need models for power other than the maternal.

Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.

It's a bizarre but wonderful feeling, to arrive dead center of a target you didn't even know you were aiming for.