It is my belief that with two such men in the household and no way to meet others, Emily (Bronte)had to make Heathcliff up out of thin air! And what a fine job she did. Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

It's a real lightning bolt, this Science of Phrenology. I've found out more in the last three days than I knew in my whole life before. Mrs. Guilbert has always been a nasty one, but now I know that she can't help it—she's got a big pit in her Benevolence spot. She fell in the quarry when she was a girl, and my guess is she cracked her Benevolence and was never the same since.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

I wish I’d known those words on the day I watched those German troops land, plane-load after plane-load of them—and come off ships down in the harbor! All I could think of was damn them, damn them, over and over. If I could have thought the words "the bright day is done, and we are for the dark," I’d have been consoled somehow and ready to go out and contend with circumstance—instead of my heart sinking to my shoes.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

Now that I think about it, maybe he is a werewolf. I can picture him lunging over the moors in hot pursuit of his prey, and I'm certain that he wouldn't think twice about eating an innocent bystander. I'll watch him closely at the next full moon. He's asked me to go dancing tomorrow--perhaps I should wear a high collar. Oh, that's vampires, isn't it? I think I am a little giddy. (After meeting Mr. Markham V. Reynolds, Jr.)

— Mary Ann Shaffer

Oh bless Esperanza, for giving her son such a preposterous name as Oscar Final O'Flaherty Wills Wilde.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books.

— Mary Ann Shaffer

She gathered a circle of children around her and commenced singing 'For Those Who Peril on the Sea' over their little heads. But no, 'safety from storms' wasn't enough for her. God had to keep them from being blown up too. She set about ordering the poor things to pray for their parents every night-who knew what the German soldiers might do to them? Then she said to be especially good little boys and girls so Mama and Daddy could look down on them from heaven and BE PROUD OF THEM...she had those children crying and sobbing fit to die. I was too shocked to move, but no, not Elizabeth. No, quick as an adder's tongue, she had hold of Adelaide's arm and told her to SHUT UP.' Let me go!' Adelaide cried. 'I am speaking the Word of God!' Elizabeth, she got a look on her that would turn the devil to stone, and then she slapped Adelaide right across the face!

— Mary Ann Shaffer

She is one of those ladies who are more beautiful at sixty than she could possibly have been at twenty. (how I hope someone says that about me someday)!

— Mary Ann Shaffer