But something he'd come to realize on the roof, leaning out, thinking about what would happen if he leaned too far, was that a boy's life could still matter to himself.

.. becoming attached to a country involves pressing, uncomfortable questions about justice and opportunity for its least powerful citizens.

I tell Allah I love Him immensely, immensely. But I tell Him I cannot be better, because of how the world is.

The Indian criminal justice system was a market like garbage, Abdul now understood. Innocence and guilt could be bought and sold like a kilo of polyurethane bags.

Much of what was said did not matter, and that much of what mattered could not be said.

The forces of justice had finally come to Annawadi. That the beneficiaries were horses was a source of bemusement to Sunil and the road boys.

He wanted to go home to the place that he hated.

Though Abdul had been as afraid of ghosts as most Annawadi boys, these reports did not disturb him. Being terrorized by living people seemed to have diminished his fear of the dead.

God will judge us, Mr. Harris, by--by what we did to relieve the suffering of our fellow human beings. I don't think God cares what doctrine we embrace.

In the sky there are always answers and explanations for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy and confusion.

We did not decide to be born hence

Stop making a relationship about what you get and start making it about what you give, for what you give is what you'll get in return.

The strongest pressure in the world can be friendly pressure.

By different methods different men excel, but where is he who can do all things well?

I am obliged to deal with hundreds of men and to make them live without killing the reader.

All we really want in life is to connect to other human beings, and when you desperately want to connect physically to one specific human being and you can't? That's something I find compelling.

There are no warlike people, just warlike leaders.

Better the anger of a friend than the kiss of an enemy.