A monster, I think, remembering what Ben told me once. War makes Monsters of Men.

Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.

Teenagers are the greatest readers in the world - honest, unsnobby and loyal

Librarians are tour-guides for all of knowledge.

"No," he says, taking us both in. "No, no, no. You've come farther than most people on this planet will in their lifetimes. You've overcome obstacles and dangers and things that should've killed you. You've outrun an army and a madman and deadly illness and seen things most people will never see. How do you think you could have possibly come this far if you didn't have hope?"

It was solitude, but it was solitude that wasn't lonely. Solitude that could sort things out. And he hadn't had that in ages.

Doing what's right should be easy. It shouldn't be just another big mess like everything else.