What are you afraid of? I'm afraid of not recognizing Paradise.

To be honest, the only thing I ever really wanted to be was a writer - since I read 'Charlotte's Web' as a child.

To be silent. In hopes of not offending, in hopes of being accepted. But what happened to people who never spoke, never raised their voices? Kept everything inside? Gamache knew what happened. Everything they swallowed, every word, thought, feeling rattled around inside, hollowing the person out. And into that chasm they stuffed their words, their rage.

I've seen enough successful writers who no longer seem to care when they are recognized with an award, and I think that's just tragic.

Let every man shovel out his own snow, and the whole city will be passable," said Gamache. Seeing Beauvoir's puzzled expression he added, "Emerson." "Lake and Palmer?" "Ralph and Waldo.

No good ever comes from putting up walls. What people mistake for safety is in fact captivity. And few things thrive in captivity.

Fear lives in the head. And courage lives in the heart. The job is to get from one to the other.