The truth is when I went to graduate school I would've said I was among the least talented of the students, I was certainly the least smart, or less educated. But I worked very hard.

For me, everything's too much and nothing's enough.

Your heart, Mary Karr, he'd say. His pen touched my sternum, and it felt for all the world like the point of a dull spear as he said, Your heart knows what your head don't. Or won't.

How much smaller the large places are once we're grown up, when we have car keys and credit cards.

Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.

Im always terrified when Im writing.

I've never contended that I had a really horrible life.