...I knew he would be dead, because Dally Winston wanted to be dead and he always got what he wanted.

I made up my mind that I'd get out of that place and I didI learned that if you want to get somewhere, you just make up your mind and work like hell til you get there. If you want to go somewhere in life, you just have to work till you make it.

...but I've never regretted it. You can't regret experience.

I have no idea why I write. The old standards are: I like to express my feelings, stretch my imagination, earn money.

They shouldn't hate each other . . . I don't hate the Socs any more . . . they shouldn't hate . . .

California is like a beautiful wild kid on heroin, high as a kite and thinking she's on top of the world, not knowing she's dying, not believing it even if you show her the marks.

Nothing sparkly can stay.