“Don’t adapt to the world like the rest of the flock, but rather let the world adapt to you and your unique ways; given time, it will find a place of its own in this world.”

“When the last page of a book is turned, it leaves behind an emptiness, a certain kind of sadness that fills you up from within, yet leaves you craving for more.”

“that history almost always repeats itself. And it is almost always written by men.”

“Sometimes, God brings His greatest rains with a storm. Sometimes, God brings His greatest blessings with your difficulty.”

“Do you know what O'Keefe Says about blue? he asked her, blowing out a cloud of smoke, warming to her voice, though he did not remember her face clearly from the opening night's exhibition. What? That it is the color that will remain after everything is destroyed.”

“Who do you serve? Do you serve somebody? I serve the poem, no one.”

“This is how you begin in this world. These are the lessons to be learned. Drink chamomile tea to calm the spirit. Feed a cold and starve a fever. Read as many books as you can. Always choose courage. Never watch another woman burn. Know that love is the only answer.”

“Nana always said that books made better friends than people anyway. Books will take you anywhere if you let them, she used to say, and I think she was right.”