Richard Russo, Empire Falls Quotes

What if all everybody needed in the world was to be sure of one friend? What if you were the one, and you refused to say those simple words?

You can't possibly judge your ability to control something until you've experienced the extremes of its capabilities. Do you understand?

One of the odd things about middle age...was the strange decisions a man discovers he’s made by not really making them.

To his surprise he...discovered that it was possible to be good at what you had little interest in, just as it had been possible to be bad at something…that you cared about a great deal.

Miles smiled. "Can you keep a secret?"Bea snorted. "Did I tell you what you were in for if you married my daughter?""No, " Miles conceded."Well, then, " she said, as if that settled the matter.