Jo

“Reading wasn't a cure for loneliness but framed it as part of a long tradition of people feeling alienated and isolated all over this teeming planet.”
― Daniel Handler, And Then? And Then? What Else?

“The pleasure of reading is the pleasure of loneliness. Loneliness is at the heart of literature -- every book, every single book you can read.”
― Daniel Handler, And Then? And Then? What Else?

“People smile at kids when they make mistakes and as they figure out their way in the world but forget that even as adults, there's still no road map and everyone's bumbling along as best they can. Maybe if grown-ups could see the kids they once were -- the kids who were still inside -- then everyone would be a little better for it.”
― Evelyn Skye, The Incredible Kindness of Paper

“Loneliness has a sad reputation. But all it is is a small circle you are standing in. This might be a sad experience, if it is not where you want to be standing. But being lonely often has the magic of clear truth -- a reminder that the circle is always present, in your mind, and that you alone can invite others to join you, the way you alone can decide what book to read, what sentences to hold close or to skip entirely.”
― Daniel Handler, And Then? And Then? What Else?