Asta

“Whatever you're meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible.”
― Doris Lessing

“—Five languages? I said before he left.
—Yeah. Five languages. And he can lie to himself in every one of them.”
― Amor Towles, Rules of Civility

“You know what people who go to nude beaches look like?"

"Tell me."

"People who shouldn't go to nude beaches."

"Is Chili Palmer joining the tour?'

"I wasn't told"

"Ask Nick for me."

About a minute went by. Now he heard Nick saying, "Tell him if he goes near Chili Palmer I'll see that he suffers excruciating pain and will never fucking walk again in his life."

And, then Robin's voice: "Nick said to tell you that if you go near Chili Palmer he'll have your legs broken."

"Why couldn't he say it like that?"

"He reads, but the wrong books.”
― Elmore Leonard, Be Cool

“At your next book club meeting, picture me sitting quietly in the corner, taking notes on your preferences. Imagine the next day you get an email from me trying to sell you a new grill — or a book — or accessories for your Glock. That's the Amazon/Goodreads deal. It's appalling. But everywhere in the press, you'll read about the genius of Amazon."
(Michael Herrmann and the booksellers of Gibson's)”
― G.R. Reader, Off-Topic: The Story of an Internet Revolt