My Commonplace Book

“Before she became ill, David’s mother would often tell him that stories were alive. They weren’t alive in the way that people were alive, or even dogs or cats. People were alive whether you chose to notice them or not, while dogs tended to make you notice them if they decided that you weren’t paying them enough attention. Cats, meanwhile, were very good at pretending that people didn’t exist at all when it suited them, but that was another matter entirely. ” – John Connolly, The Book of Lost Things

“What you see isn’t always the reality. We look at one thing but see another. Why? With a marble statue because of a change in perspective or trick of light. But with human beings, the reasons are more complex. People project only what they want others to see, or atleast they try to. And even when unintended clues to the being behind the mask are exposed, we often refuse to see them. Our perception of others is always distorted by our own prejudices, hopes, and fears. And sometimes, we look at others and see ourselves.” – Greg Iles, Turning Angel

“We are friends with the people we do things with, as much as we are with people we resemble.” – Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point

“Shopping for houses is amazing. People who would never invite you into their homes under any other circumstances open their doors wide, allow you to peer into their closets, pass judgment on their wallpaper, ask pointed questions about their gutters.” – Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler’s Wife