I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that's where they begin. Their great skills is their capacity to escalate.

Trust was accumulated quickly, due primarily to the brute strength of the man's gentleness, his thereness. (p.36)

It would then be brought abruptly to an end, for the brightness had shown suffering the way.

He's most likely robbing the bank as a paycheck on the world for winning the ugliness prize at his local fete three years running.

They say that war is death's best friend, but I must offer you a different point of view on that one. To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thin, incessantly: 'Get it done, get it done.' So you work harder. You get the job done. The boss, however, does not thank you. He asks for more.

When we move apart, she looks at me again, till a small tear lifts itself up in her eye. It trips out to find a wrinkle and follows it down.

When a person's last response was Saumensch or Saukerl or Arschloch, you knew you had them beaten.