Outlandish Confidence

From Peggy Nonan's piece in the Wall Street Journal today. She is writing about what sort of personalities are attracted to presidential runs:

I said I didn't mean to suggest he was [crazy], only that it took a certain interesting, even outlandish confidence to think you should be president.

Windows to the Soul

This is a quote from Let the Great World Spin by Collum McCann. This book goes on my short list of favorites. The language, the metaphors, the stories of the individuals depicted all come together to make this an amazing read. McCann really has a way with words.

She had the bluest eyes; they looked like small drops of September sky.

To Tell the Truth

Also from Let the Great World Spin by Collum McCann. Here one of the book's characters describes what she tells her parents back in rural Missouri about her less-than-wonderful experience as a young black woman in college in the 1950's.

I gave them all the truth and none of the honesty.

A Lack of Honour

From the book I'm reading now: Tuck:

Our King William has proven himself a greedy, grasping rogue and a stranger to all honour.