“Harry Dresden: A little humiliation and ego deflation, now and then, is good for apprentices. Mine sighed miserably.”

“It was beyond embarrassing or humiliating or even mortifying. It was ego-slaying!”

“See your disappointments as good fortune. One plan's deflation is another's inflation.”

“Damn, that werewolf melts my butter,” Mari sighed. “He’s so miserable,” she added delightedly.”

“There are so many highly esteemed ones who became miserable and humiliated just because of their bad temper and morals; and humble people who have attained eminence and the highest honors because of good temper and morals.”

“Guys need attention. They need that nourishment, that little stroke of the ego that gets them by every now and then. I’ll give it to my family, I’ll give it to my work — but I will not give it to a man right now.”

“My ego doesn't need soothing. I don't want him soothing anything of mine, including you.”

“Kids are like heroin, a little heroin addiction. When it’s bad, you’ve never been so miserable, but when it’s good you’ve never been so high.”

“Harry Dresden: But there were some things I believed in. Some things I had faith in. And faith isn’t about perfect attendance to services, or how much money you put on the little plate. It isn’t about going skyclad to the Holy Rites, or meditating each day upon the divine. Faith is about what you do. It’s about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It’s about making sacrifices for the good of others—even when there’s not going to be anyone telling you what a hero you are.”

“Don't worry, now that I know about your little ego problem, I'll do my best to look all gushy when you pound you chest.”