"You battled monsters. You sweat and cried your way to this one prolific moment where you finally realize that those dark days and sleepless nights were pre-requisites to your becoming."

"When you question this war on poverty, you get all the criticisms from adherents to the status quo who just don't want to see anything change. We got to have the courage to face that down, just as we did in the welfare reform of the late 1990s, and if we succeeded, we can help resuscitate this culture and get people back to work."

"I know that when I'm standing alone below a thousand-foot wall, looking up and considering a climb, my sponsors are the furthest thing from my mind. If I'm going to take risks, they are going to be for myself - not for any company."

"Sarra looked at her daughter and said reproachfully, 'Speaking of war, I never raised you to be always fighting and killing. That's not woman's work.'It's needful, Ma. You taught me a woman has to know how to defend herself.'I never!' gasped Sarra, indignant.'You taught me when you were murdered in your own house,' Daine said quietly."