The Name of This Book Is Secret (Secret, #1)

by Pseudonymous Bosch

Generally speaking, books don’t cause much harm. Except when you read them, that is. Then they cause all kinds of problems.

Books can, for example, give you ideas. I don’t know if you’ve ever had an idea before, but, if you have, you know how much trouble an idea can get you into.

Emotions have led people to do all sorts of things they later regret—like, oh, throwing a book at someone else.

And that child spinning around on the grass did not have mad cow disease—he was just having a good time.

QUESTION: What is not enough for one, just right for two, and too much for three? ANSWER: A secret.

As I’m sure you know from experience, lying is an important skill to have.

(Trust me, the older you get the more appealing the idea of a bedtime story becomes; and the rarer the chance to hear one.)

Why did so many grown-ups want to be young, she wondered, when it took so long to grow old? It was like going on a million-mile road trip then wanting to turn around without getting out of the car.

the theory was that Max-Ernest talked about things in order to avoid having feelings about them.

(Are you familiar with the words nonchalant and blasé? They’re two of my favorite words in a crisis. If you don’t know them, I’d advise you to look them up now—but make sure you don’t appear too anxious when you do.)

“It’s a formula. It’s many things.” “A formula for what?” asked Cass. “Never mind that,” said Dr. L quickly.

But I say we call it the denouement anyway because the word sounds so sophisticated and French.