We never know the quality of someone else's life, though we seldom resist the temptation to assume and pass judgement.

But then I had long mistaken being spoiled for being strong, being defiant for being independent, being reckless for being brave.

The horse world is populated by two kinds of people: those who love horses, and those who exploit horses and the people who love them.

The world isn't black and white, Annie, it's shades of grey.

Family was a fertile breeding ground for the kind of psychological bacteria that warped minds and devoured hope.

Minnesotans hate zeal. Zeal is right up there on the list of suspicious emotional behaviors like joy and despair. Always err on the side of blandness.

She had the kind of looks that had probably been quite pretty in high school, but were now worn down by years of smoking cigarettes, raising children, and the disappointment of being married to an asshole.