David

“Dana had Society, Respectability, Tradition, Moral judgment, Time, Security (especially Security), and the generations of cuckolded husbands who had provided him with lessons in how to win by employing patience. Dana Holmes could afford to laugh at Milt Warden who had the audacity to try to defeat this array of heavy artillery with the popgun of Love. Because could you just point out to me once, please, sir, one single time that Love had ever bought anything? In these United States of the United Middle Class of Solid-Fronted United Greater America?”
― James Jones, From here to eternity: de volledige en ongecensureerde editie

“If you can find a way of helping people, you'll live off the interest.”
― J.G. Ballard, Empire of the Sun

“You shouldn't think you're not supposed to be happy, Paul. You understand that? You shouldn't get used to not being happy just because you can't make everything fit down right. Everything doesn't fit down right. You have to let some things go finally.”
― Richard Ford, Independence Day

“...and my heart tightened for the hard compulsions of the poor.”
― Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome