Never confuse faith, or belief — of any kind — with something even remotely intellectual. - John Irving

...the single ingredient in American literature that distinguishes it from other literatures of the world is a kind of giddy, illogical hopefulness. It is quite technically sophisticated while remaining ideologically naïve.

"Many things the gods achieve beyond our judgement,'" said the sorrowful girl. "'What we thought is not confirmed and what we thought not God contives."

To each other, we were as normal and nice as the smell of bread, we were just a family. In a family even exaggerations make perfect sense.