Avi

The greater a man's - or boy's - ignorance of the world, the more certain he is that he sits in the center of that world.

I took a deep breath. 'For you I've got something better than love.'What's that?'I...trust you.'Why?'You'll never hurt me.'Thank you.'But...'But, what?'I said, 'That means I'll hurt you.'Why?' 'Cause, like I said, you'll never hurt me back.

A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port. Ah, yes, but once you're abroad, as you have seen, winds have a mind of their own. Be careful, Charlotte, careful of the wind you choose.

Every night, I was read to. Every Friday, we were taken to the library. I always received at least one book for my birthday. I have a few of them yet. Early on, I had my own collection of books. I loved to read. Still do.

Writing takes a lot of patience. It usually takes me a year to write a book. One time, it took me 14 years to write a book, not that I worked on it every day.

Would you believe it? Would you believe it. Okay, this is WLRB, all-talk radio. Take a short break, then come right back to talk about whatever you want. Man, but I'm telling you: what's happening to this country!

Magic," her mother said, "is a kind of hope. And wishes are like dreams. When we have them, we can make things change. Without, we stay the same.

When dark, it's bright, when brightest, it's gone. When gone for good, so will I be.What am I?

It's said truth is stranger than fiction, but fiction makes truth a friend, not a stranger.

In another corner Nathaniel murmured to Maura, "You must know, Miss O'Connell, I . . . I loved you even before I saw you. It was your father's way of talking."Maura shook her head. "You mustn't say that. It's not my dear da's words that should do the wooing," she said gently. "I'd rather be cared for . . . for what I am myself."Nathaniel nodded. "I'll not say more. But I will tell you what I think I'm going to do."And what is thatI'm going to California to search for gold."And do you think, Nathaniel Brewster, you'll find it?"I do. But it won't be as fine as what's here," Nathaniel said with a shy smile. "Maura O'Connell . . . will . . . will you . . . wait for me to come back?"Maura was silent.Will you?"You're a fine young man, Mr. Brewster. I can only say I'll not forget you.

Then the silence came back, that awful silence that seemed to just take over.In that silence I kept hearing what I had said--heard it repeating itself over and over again like a stuck record. I wanted it to stop. I didn't want to say things like that anymore. I was sick of that kind of lying. I wished I could say something real.But the silence was too big.