All the Light We Cannot See

by Anthony Doerr

The Goddess of History looked down to earth. Only through the hottest fires can purification be achieved.

There are, he assures her, no such things as curses.

There is luck, maybe, bad or good. A slight inclination of each day toward success or failure. But no curses.

Open your eyes, concludes the man, and see what

you can with them before they close forever,

“You know the greatest lesson of history?

It’s that history is whatever the victors say it is. That’s the lesson. Whoever wins, that’s who decides the history.

This, she realizes, is the basis of his fear, all fear. That a light you are powerless to stop will turn on you and usher a bullet to its mark.

Who knew love could kill you?

Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.

If your same blood doesn’t run in the arms and legs of the person you’re next to, you can’t trust anything.