When the sky’s falling, I take shelter under bullshit.

I'm speaking of the pursuit of excellence in all things. All things! Presence of mind and devotion to craft. A great artist has these. A great chef. A great master of tea. There's powerful kung fu in a well-built house or an eloquent letter, but the limit of your imagination is bones breaking and bullets flying.

Any man can fart in a closed room and say that he commands the wind

I don't have to beat you. I don't have to beat you, motherfucker. I just have to keep you here... until Jean shows up.

Difficult" and "impossible" are cousins often mistaken for one another, with very little in common." (Locke Lamora to Requin)

Only one way to win when you're being chased by someone bigger and tougher than you. Turn straight around, punch their teeth out, and hope the gods are fond of you.

In the glass burrow beneath their feet, the flames began to rise. First the flames, and then the screams