“I was tired of seeing the Graces always depicted as beautiful young things. I think wisdom comes with age and life and pain. And knowing what matters.”

“You know for sure Jane would be annoyed she gave you all her money and youre not even enjoying it. Should have given it to me. Myrna had shaken her head in mock bewilderment. Id have known what to ...”

“She put her hands together and Saul hoped she wasnt about to sayNamaste, said CC, bowing. He taught me that. Very spiritual.She said spiritual so often it had become meaningless to Saul.He said, CC...”

“Nice hair. Olivier turned to Clara, hoping to break the tension.Thank you. Clara ran her hands through it, making it stand on end as though shed just had a scare.Youre right. Olivier turned to Myrn...”

“Let every man shovel out his own snow, and the whole city will be passable," said Gamache. Seeing Beauvoir's puzzled expression he added, "Emerson.""Lake and Palmer?""Ralph and Waldo.”

“Now here's a good one:you're lying on your deathbed.You have one hour to live.Who is it, exactly, you have neededall these years to forgive?”

“here she is, all mine, trying her best to give me all she can. How could I ever hurt her? But I didnt understand then. That I could hurt somebody so badly she would never recover. That a person can...”

“Any happiness, no matter how brief, seemed better than the long, simmering torture of waking up day after day, knowing I could never have him.”

“Everyone always wants to know how you can tell when it's true love, and the answer is this: when the pain doesn't fade and the scars don't heal, and it's too damned late.”

“Pain is not the same as suffering. Left to itself, the body discharges pain spontaneously, letting go of it the moment that the underlying cause is healed. Suffering is pain that we hold on to. It ...”

“In pleasant peace and security How suddenly the soul in a man begins to die He shall look up above the stalled oxen Envying the cruel falcon, And dig under the straw for a stone To bruise himself on.”

“It is amazing, though, what pains your subconscious will undergo in achieve sustainable peace.”