The Supernova Era

by Liu Cixin

Zheng Chen watched the calm city for a long while, and listened to the soft sounds that came in like a sort of music. Not easy listening, but a splendid requiem, and as she listened the tears began to flow. The baby in her arms stopped crying and opened its tiny gorgeous eyes for the first time to look in wonder at the strange world. She felt her whole heart melt and evaporate and disappear, and the total weight of her entire life transfer itself into the small being in her arms.

Golding was one of the few adults who really got children. It’s a shame that the others mostly judged the hearts of children using the measure of great men,* rather than recognizing our basic nature.