The people who loved me when I was seven years old love my books, and the people who didn't like me when I was seven years old don't like my books.

I'm not a pacifist by any measure, but I'm also fully aware that the reasons I might go to war could be very dubious.

Well, I think the worst part about tribalism is its tendency to fundamentalize, and if I can fight fundamentalism in any of its forms I'm happy.

He wanted the songs, the stories, to save everybody.

Yep, my daddy was an undependable drunk. But he'd never missed any of my organized games, concerts, plays, or picnics. He may not have loved me perfectly, but he loved me as well as he could. (189)

The problem for me with liberals is that we've abdicated our moral responsibility to the universe.

Religious fundamentalists are unaware that freedom of religion necessarily brings with it the freedom to mock religion.