“When he stepped into the shower, the hit water scalded him. He let it run over his face, burning his eyelids. He put up with the pain, his jaw clenched and his muscles taut, suppressing the urge to...”

“An obscure flesh-and-blood Gascon, forgotten by History, transformed into a legendary giant by the novelist's genius”

“... the worst possible heritage to leave with children: high spiritual pretensions and low performance.”

“Look at that crowd', he said disgustedly. 'They think it's a circus.''And not a single coin are they donating', said Dina.'That's not surprising. Pity can only be shown in small doses. When so many...”

“All people like to be praised as it boosts their self-esteem, keeps them motivated and happy but it also pushes them into the abyss of sham, which is propelled by hypocrisy and sycophancy.”

“But what's in a name? We have named all of the stars and all the planets, even though they might already have names of their own. What a nerve!”

“Deciding to wait, Scott sat down with a pint away from the bar at a corner table and lit a cigarette. The clientele in there on Sunday afternoon were the same as most other afternoons. From middle-...”

“Sometimes truths are what we run from, and sometimes they are what we seek.”