Rebecca Rukeyser

“There are many men who have reminded me of Stu. It's a masculine asset to be the host, the mayor. The confident bonhomie is a kind of shorthand: it's short for having a big dick.
Later, when I was teaching near Prague, I met a woman who liked to discuss Rasputin; she harbored a barely concealed lust for Rasputin and only dated men who had big wild eyes. She said, about Rasputin. "He had a great big dick." No, I thought, but in all likelihood he was an excellent host.”
― Rebecca Rukeyser, The Seaplane on Final Approach

“There are a couple of situations that are ideal for touring your memories: the quiet three minutes after takeoff on a commercial flight, and when you're trying to fall asleep. The first makes you keenly aware of the possibility of a quick death, and the other makes you aware of the likelihood of one that comes slowly.”
― Rebecca Rukeyser, The Seaplane on Final Approach