"It's the hardest thing in the world to go on being aware of someone else's pain."
— Pat Barker

"Another person's life, observed from the outside, always has a shape and definition that one's own life lacks."
— Pat Barker

"The sky darkened, the air grew colder, but he didn't mind. It didn't occur to him to move. This was the right place. This was where he had wanted to be."
— Pat Barker (Regeneration)

"The way I see it, when you put the uniform on, in effect you sign a contract. And you don't back out of a contract merely because you've changed your mind. You can still speak up for your principles, you can still argue against the ones you're being made to fight for, but in the end you do the job."
— Pat Barker (Regeneration)

"'I don't think it's possible to c-call yourself a C-Christian and... and j-just leave out the awkward bits.' -Wilfred Owen"
— Pat Barker (Regeneration)