My published works are concrete evidence that I exist.

I had a naïve idea that if I could tell the story, people would be outraged and do something about conditions in the jails.

One of the principle things life has taught me is that we always have a choice. When we say we "can't," we usually mean we're just not willing to pay the price.

My husband regarded my prison past as a dirty secret and never asked me one single question about it. But what I had experienced and witnessed was eating at me and I needed to "tell somebody."

We humans are in such a strange position—we are still animals whose behavior reflects that of our ancestors, yet we are unique—unlike any other animal on earth. Our distinctiveness separates us and makes it easy to forget where we came from. Perhaps dogs help us remember the depth of our roots, reminding us—the animals at the other end of the leash—that we may be special, but we are not alone. No wonder we call them our best friends.

A crisis of confidence is so common that it should be considered a universal part of the adoption process.

I couldn't stand living in a society that admires the emperor's new clothes, when I see so clearly that he is naked.