Quotes from "The Woods"

“I have learned over the years–in the most horrible ways imaginable–that the wall between life and death, between extraordinary beauty and mind-boggling ugliness, between the most innocent setting and a frightening bloodbath, is flimsy. It takes a second to tear through it.” (Page 5)

“Most people believe death is the cruelest thing. Not so. After a while, hope is a far more abusive mistress. When you live with it as long as I have, your neck constantly on the chopping block, the ax raised above you for days, then months, then years, you long for it to fall and lop off your head.” (Page 18)

“Death is pure, wrecking-ball destructive. It hits, you’re crushed, you start to rebuild. But not knowing–that doubt, that glimmer–makes death work more like termites or some sort of relentless germ. It eats away from the inside. You cannot stop the rot. You cannot rebuild because that doubt will just keep gnawing away.” (Page 18-19)

“The mind does funny things under stress.” (Page 20)

“Nostalgia was one thing–a deteriorating mind another.” (Page 115)

“But life isn’t like that. Some get a lifetime pass. Others, like you, get more than your share. Much more. And the worst part is, it doesn’t make you immune to even more.” (Page 259)

“It is a big mistake to theorize before has data–because one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” (Page 335)

“Even that horror–you get used to it. Like comfort, suffering can become the norm.” (Page 351)

“You don’t worry about happiness and fulfillment when you’re starving.” (Page 351)