“People who are emotionally adapt — who know and manage their feelings well, and who read and deal effectively with other people's feelings — are at an advantage in any domain in life, whether in romance and intimate relationships or picking up the unspoken rules that govern success in organizational politics.”

“The mark of an unhealthy relationship is two people who try to solve each other’s problems in order to feel good about themselves. Rather, a healthy relationship is when two people solve their own problems in order to feel good about each other.”

“I often feel sorry for people who don't read good books; they are missing a chance to lead an extra life.”

“People who barely know the two of you assume you are close friends; people who know both of you intimately suspect you profoundly hate each other.”

“Pity is the feeling of well-intentioned people who are unable to act.”

“Those communities who adopted the new rules and, in doing so, infringed upon deeply embedded natural feelings became the successful ones, the ones who multiplied because they were more prosperous and were able to attract people from other groups.”

“People, who are afraid of intimacy and connection (and thus vulnerability) tend to cope with those feelings by becoming an island unto themselves. They become emotionally unavailable and disconnect from the other person as a defence. To withdraw in a relationship is to commit emotional divorce. And the #1 symptom of withdrawal is lack of communication.”

“those of us who read because we love it more than anything, who feel about bookstores the way some people feel about jewelers…”

“Politeness is wasted on the dishonest, who will always take advantage of any well-intended concession.”

“That's the advantage of insomnia. People who go to be early always complain that the night is too short, but for those of us who stay up all night, it can feel as long as a lifetime. You get a lot done”