“Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.”

“There are two barriers that often prevent communication between the young and their elders. The first is middle-aged forgetfulness of the fact that they themselves are no longer young. The second i...”

“Memory is a magnet. It will pull to it and hold only material nature has designed it to attract.”

“Faithfulness to the past can be a kind of death above ground. Writing of the past is a resurrection the past then lives in your words and you are free. ”

“Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undert...”

“The past is really almost as much a work of the imagination as the future.”

“every time God forgives us, God is saying that God's own rules do not matter as much as the relationship that God wants to create with us.”

“I've never heard anyone say "I wish I hadn't forgiven.”

“We are told that people stay in love because of chemistry, or because they remain intrigued with each other, because of many kindnesses, because of luck. But part of it has got to be forgiveness an...”