You ever hear a dog cry, Steve? You know, howling so loud it's almost unbearable?' He nodded. 'I reckon they howl like that because they're so hungry it hurts, and that's what I feel in me every day of my life. I'm so hungry to be somethin' - to be somebody. You hear me?' He did. 'I'm not lyin' down ever. Not for you. Not for anyone.' I ended it. 'I'm hungry, Steve.' Sometimes I think they're the best words I've ever said. 'I'm hungry.

My voice is like a rumour. I'm not sure if it came out or not, or if it is true.

Humans, if nothing else, have the good sense to die.

I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.

But neither of us knows, because a fight's worth nothing if you know from the start that you're going to win it.

They were French, they were Jews, and they were you.

It was a style not of perfection, but warmth. Even mistakes had a good feeling about them