The Stranger Quotes

“We get mad at someone for cutting us off in traffic or for taking too long to order at Starbucks or for not responding exactly as we see fit, and we have no idea that behind their facade, they may be dealing with some industrial-strength shit. Their lives may be in pieces. They may be in the midst of incalculable tragedy and turmoil, and they may be hanging on to their sanity by a thread. But we don’t care. We don’t see. We just keep pushing.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“I said everyone looks happy. That was kinda my point. If you judge the world by Facebook, you wonder why so many people take Prozac.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“the cardinal rule: You never have to take back words you don’t say.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“but every home is its own island with its own secrets.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“We get mad at someone for cutting us off in traffic or for taking too long to order at Starbucks or for not responding exactly as we see fit, and we have no idea that behind their facade, they may be dealing with some industrial-strength shit. Their lives may be in pieces. They may be in the midst of incalculable tragedy and turmoil, and they may be hanging on to their sanity by a thread.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“We humans can’t see straight. We are always biased. We always protect our own interests.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“The world doesn’t give even the slightest damn about us or our petty problems. We never quite get that, do we? Our lives have been shattered—shouldn’t the rest of us take notice? But no.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Feeding teenage boys was like filling a bathtub with a grapefruit spoon.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“The hunchback sees the hump of others—never his own.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Today he was being reminded yet again of the obvious: The world doesn’t give even the slightest damn about us or our petty problems. We never quite get that, do we? Our lives have been shattered—shouldn’t the rest of us take notice? But no. To the outside world, Adam looked the same, acted the same, felt the same. We get mad at someone for cutting us off in traffic or for taking too long to order at Starbucks or for not responding exactly as we see fit, and we have no idea that behind their facade, they may be dealing with some industrial-strength shit. Their lives may be in pieces. They may be in the midst of incalculable tragedy and turmoil, and they may be hanging on to their sanity by a thread.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Oh my soul, be prepared for the coming of the Stranger. Be prepared for him who knows how to ask questions. There is one who remembers the way to your door: Life you may evade, but Death you shall not.

- T. S. Eliot”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Dreams are fragile. Dreams don’t last.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Secrets...were cancers. Secrets festered. Secrets ate away at your innards, leaving behind nothing but a flimsy husk.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“We get mad at someone for cutting us off in traffic or for taking too long to order at Starbucks or for not responding exactly as we see fit, and we have no idea that behind their facade, they may be dealing with some industrial-strength shit. Their lives may be in pieces. They may be in the midst of incalculable tragedy and turmoil, and they may be hanging on to their sanity by”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Thomas had hated the whole idea of Santa Claus anyway. What was the point? Why do you tell kids that some weird fat guy who lives at the North Pole watches them all the time? Sorry, that’s just creepy. Even as a child, Thomas remembered sitting on a mall Santa’s lap and he smelled a little like piss and Thomas thought, “This guy is the one who brings me toys?” And why tell kids that anyway? Wouldn’t it be nicer to think your parents, who worked hard, gave you those presents instead of some creepy stranger?”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Thomas had gotten his learner’s permit a week ago—the parental equivalent of a stress test without using an actual EKG machine.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“The world moves on, which is an outrage.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Her makeup looked as though it’d been applied with a paintball gun.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“The Internet make it easy to be deceptive. The Internet makes it easy to be anonymous and to lie and to keep terrible, destructive secrets from your loved ones.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Hell, I want to Hugh Jackman a sponge bath. So what? You can;t help what you want. You're human. Let it go.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Her muscles clearly were not just for show. She pulled him into an empty chemistry classroom and closed the door. There were workstations and beakers and sinks with high faucets. A giant chart of the periodic table of elements, both a staple of every science classroom and a cliché, dominated the far wall. “Where is she?” Kristin asked. Adam wasn’t sure how to play it, so he went with honesty. “I don’t know.” “How can you not know?” “We were supposed to meet for dinner last night. She never showed.” “She just didn’t . . . ?” Kristin shook her head in confusion. “Did you call the police?” “What? No.” “Why not?” “I don’t know. She sent a text. She said she needed some time away.” “From what?” Adam just looked at her. Kristin said, “You?” “Seems so.” “Oh. Sorry.” Kristin stepped back, chastened. “So why are you here?” “Because I want to make sure she’s okay. I figured she’d be at work. She never calls in sick.” “Never,”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“He changed and worked out with weights. Throughout his adult life, Adam had cycled through a potpourri of workout programs—yoga (not flexible), Pilates (confused), boot camp (why not just join the military?), Zumba (don’t ask), aquatics (near drown), spin (sore butt)—but in the end, he always returned to simple weights. Some days he loved the strain on his muscles and couldn’t imagine not doing it. Other days he dreaded every moment, and the only thing he wanted to lift was the postworkout peanut butter protein shake to his lips. He”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Everyone looks happy,” he’d said to Corinne. “Oh, not you too.” “What?” “Everyone looks happy on Facebook,” Corinne said. “It’s like a compilation of your life’s greatest hits.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“The lacrosse game took place in the optimistically dubbed SuperDome, an air-inflated sports facility made from some sort of pliable material. Thomas was playing in an indoor league for the winter season. Ryan had come along too. He half watched his brother, half played catch in the corner with a couple of other kids. Ryan also kept looking over at his father. He did that a lot now, looked for his father, as though Adam might suddenly vanish into thin air. Adam got it, of course. He tried to reassure him, but what could he really say?”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Today he was being reminded yet again of the obvious: The world doesn’t give even the slightest damn about us or our petty problems. We never quite get that, do we? Our lives have been shattered—shouldn’t the rest of us take notice? But no. To the outside world, Adam looked the same, acted the same, felt the same. We get mad at someone for cutting us off in traffic or for taking too long to order at Starbucks or for not responding exactly as we see fit, and we have no idea that behind their facade, they may be dealing with some industrial-strength shit. Their lives may be in pieces. They may be in the midst of incalculable tragedy and turmoil, and they may be hanging on to their sanity by a thread. But we don’t care. We don’t see. We just keep pushing.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“it be nicer to think your parents, who worked hard, gave you those presents instead of some creepy stranger?”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“When you listen to your gut, you are often just fooled with greater certainty.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Butterface.” Then Thomas spoke slowly. “But. Her. Face.”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“Butterface.” Then Thomas spoke slowly. “But. Her. Face.” Adam tried not to smile”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger

“It is always us against them. That’s what all of life is. We fight wars for that reason. We make decisions every day to protect our own loved ones, even if it means hardships for others. You buy your boy a new pair of cleats for lacrosse. Maybe you could have used that money to save a starving child in Africa. But no, you let that child starve. Us against them. We all do this.” “Tripp?”
― Harlan Coben, The Stranger