Despite which, Charlie seems doomed to stumble around in the dark, clutching pieces of a puzzle he still can't see.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Did you really think I'd steer you wrong?" Then William pointed to the wide-open country beyond the next ridge. "New York's that way. My compass is unerring.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Even before the letter he'd been divided: one part of him swanning with Jay Gatsby around an imaginary Gotham; the other part stolid and earthbound, nose to the deep fryer, in the stifling, sizzling South.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Even the kids, behind the slice of streets cape floating in the glass, had mastered the art of pretending not to see.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Everything's always changing, Charlie. We become who we are. The mask melts into the face.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Failure is so much more interesting.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Famous revolutionary,' you say, and the laughter pumps out of your chest like blood, great almost painful spurts of it splashing up the building faces toward the marquee moon.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

For paranoia was Big's late style: How else but through networks and conspiracies could he fashion a target big enough for his outrage? Richard usually found paranoia uninteresting, insofar as it swept away the incidental, which was the real grist of history.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Good artists are always crazy, one way or another.

— Garth Risk Hallberg

Her eyes were glistening, but for some reason he couldn't reach out and touch her. It was like some gestures were so simple they were beyond him.

— Garth Risk Hallberg