Desperation, weakness, vulnerability - these things will always be exploited. You need to protect the weak, ring-fence them, with something far stronger than empathy.

Under every friendship there is a difficult sentence that must be said, in order that the friendship can be survived.

Oh, I know that. You know me, baby, I cannot be broken. Takes a giant to snap me in half.

One thing you learn about the novel as a form is that it's always smarter than you are.

Writing is my way of expressing - and thereby eliminating - all the various ways we can be wrong-headed.

13.5 Mrs. Wolfe asks whether Mr. Iqbal expects her Susan to undertake compulsory headstands. 13.6 Mr. Iqbal infers that, considering Susan's academic performance and weight problems, a headstand regime might be desirable.

An essential part of power is the freedom not to think too deeply