Freedom Road Quotes

“The franks came freshly grilled, with long slivers of pickle, hot peppers, and tomato slices, along with onions and that peculiar Chicago relish that is so green, it looks like a traffic light signaling go, eat, enjoy. Oliver splatted mustard on top—no ketchup, thank you—and took a bite. Through the soft bun and garden loaded on top he could feel the casing snap between his teeth and taste the spurt of grease. Suddenly there was no war, no politics, his mother was still alive, his father still knew how to smile, his brother was home from Vietnam, and Ernie Banks was back to playing shortstop at Wrigley Field. Was there anything better in the”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“He rages because the people don’t deserve their country and proved it by electing a racist orange glob of hair coughed up by the Russian cat.”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“It’s not easy, that’s all I can tell you. Living your own life is hard. It’s easier just going along, doing what they tell you to do.”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“He shared Erica’s contempt for all those who tried to fill their holes in such places, all those who felt the key to life was getting enough money to frequent better and more exclusive versions of the very same crapholes. They had sentenced themselves to the chain gang, toiling under the reflective glasses of banker guards as they worked the road in an endless bulimic slog of earning and spending, acquiring, devouring, vomiting up the excess just so they could devour more.”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“We'll need more guns."

"And some explosives."

"And Advil."

"Those bastards won't know what hit them once we get the Advil.”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“Always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“whole wide world than a Chicago dog?”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“But unlike Erica, who had never worked a day in her privileged life, he felt most strongly about those who were sentenced by fate and misfortune to work in such places, part of a faceless corps of first-name-onlys who bartered their raw freedom for a paycheck, spending their lives in boxes as spare as the cages at a zoo, selling shoes, selling soda, filing nails, serving crap on a bun with a side of fries, restocking shelves picked clean by ravaging hordes, pinching their pennies while extravagantly spending the hours of their lives to satisfy the basest needs of the American consumer.”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road

“Her cheeriness grates as always, but with Jennifer he senses that it is a true reflection of her inner self and not some act, and that stops him from vomiting his disdain onto her scarf. One doesn’t shout at a lame girl for her limp, or upbraid a blind man for his lack of sight. She is entitled to her disability.”
― William Lashner, Freedom Road