Kindred Spirits

by Rainbow Rowell

It was a pretty good strategy for most social situations: show up, fall back, let somebody else break the ice and take the spotlight. Somebody else always would. Extroverts were nothing if not dependable.

“I’m just explaining that this is an unnecessary gesture.” “All the best ones are,” Troy said.

And the thing about nerd culture being mainstream culture now means that there’s no place to just be a nerd among other nerds—without being reminded that you’re the nerd. Do you follow me?”

“People who are jerks don’t get to decide whether they’re jerks. It’s left up to a jury of their peers.”

“I try not to think that about anybody,” he said. “If anything, this makes you an uber Star Wars nerd. A Star Wars hipster. You’re like one of those people who only listens to music on vinyl.”