“All young gentle dreams drowning
In life's grief
Can you hang on to me?”

“Ever of thee I'm fondly dreaming,
Thy gentle voice my spirit can cheer.”

“If you want to look young and thin hang around old fat people.”

“When my brother, Joseph, was sick and in the hospital, you got in bed with me when I was asleep and you kept trying to touch me! All these years I’d thought that maybe it was all a dream, but it wasn’t! You son of a bitch. I was eight years old, crazy with grief for my brother, Joseph, and you—how could you?!”

“Me? I had no dreams. No longings. Dreams only set you up for disappointment. Plus, you had to have a life to have dreams of a better life.”

“But there's nothing half so sweet in life
As love's young dream.”

“Life is waiting for you. You might be stuck here for a while, but the world isn’t going anywhere. Hang on in there if you can. Life is always worth it.”

“The sweetness and generosity and politeness and gentleness and humanity of the French had shown me how lovely life can be if one takes time to be friendly.”

“When you read you can have every adventure. In the pages of a book you can be anyone you ever dreamed of being… They can never tell you you're too young to slay the dragon -- because it all happens right here, where it's safe.”

“You are too calculating. Don't tell me you are young. Youth gives all it can: it gives itself without reserve.”