When will you learn that there isn't a word for everything?

Empty teacups gathered around her and dictionary pages fell at her feet.

To me, this is the singular privilege of reading literature: we are allowed to step into another's life.

There are times when the kindness of strangers only makes things worse because one realizes how badly one is in need of kindness and that the only source is a stranger.

I am always coming up with architectural metaphors when I think about writing. But I think one of the things that draw us to literature is that it gives us this very attractive illusion that there is meaning in the world - things connect.

ONE THING I AM NEVER GOING TO DO WHEN I GROW UP Is fall in love, drop out of college, learn to subsist on water and air, have a species named after me, and ruin my life.

He died alone because he was too embarrassed to phone anyone.