Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwartz

It all comes down to the shame associated with being unmarried and pregnant. Amanda comes home to hide her pregnancy, the night of the birth she tires to leave to escape a plan to give the baby to her sister. This results in a tragic accident when her toddler niece chases after her on the ice and her sister chases after her daughter. Sister, Mathilda, drowns. Amanda spins more lies all to hide the fact that the baby is hers. Things become more complicated as the children grow. The two girls meet at school and of course they become best friends. The baby's father moves to the neighborhood as a summer residence and his son eventually becomes friends with both girls. In order to prevent a potential marriage between half-siblings, Amanda finally tells all to her niece Ruth, that she raised as a daughter. Everything works out, although the family never escapes their oddness.

No News At Throat Lake by Lawrence Donegan

It would be easier for everyone if today's opponents came dressed up in the all too familar clothes of the conqueror.

There are four types of clients; those who know who you are but don't know why they need you; those who don't know who you are but know why they need you; those who know who you are and know why they need you; those who don't know who you are and don't know why they need you.

Seventy-five percent of Irelands road signs have been stolen and now adorn the walls of Irish themed pubs in California.

For a while life was seamless conversation with gray haired men in black suits and clerical collars telling dull stories about how they spent their lives doing starving Africans a favor by introducing them to the word of the Lord. As if that would fill their bellies.

Can't stand around here all day admiring the view. There's work to do.

The Brief Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Telling Bell not to flaunt those curves would have been like asking the persecuted fat kid not to use his recently discovered mutant abilities.

They can't do what they want to do or be who they should be. I might have no one in the world but at least I'm free.

Success, after all, loves a witness; but failure can't exist withoutone.

Nothing more exhilarating than saving yourself by the simple act of waking.

Niggers who messed with Him had a habit of ending up with a bad case of the deads.

Travel light. She extended her arms to embrace her house, maybe the whole world.

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Bean

This is a memoir about a Sierra Leone boy who, at the age of 13, joined the army to fight against the RUF. Unfortunately, the army turned out to be as crazy and horrific as the RUF squads. He was removed by Unicef and rehabilitated. He made it to the US by representing his country in the Children UN. He was adopted by an American woman he met through that organization. An amazing chronicle of the inhuman events he lived. Similar to the genocidal accounts told in "Last King Of Scotland" and "Hotel Rwanda." I still find it inconceivable that the world lets this happen.

The Beach by Alex Garland

"Better the devil you know" is a cliche I now despise. Hidden in the bushes, shivering with fright, I learned that if the devil you know is the guard of a drug plantation then all other devils pale in comparison.

Maybe to have a memory you need time for reflection, however brief, just to let the memory find a place to settle.

She had that American habit of frequently using one's name. It had the strange effect of being both disarmingly familiar and unnaturally forced.

On that trip I learned something very important. Escape through travel works.

When in Rom, do as the Romans. in the travelers ten commandments, that's number one. You don't march into a Hindu temp and start saying "why are you worshipping a cow?" You look around, take on board, adjust, accept.

Isn't there a saying that the only thing more dangerous than a man with a gun is a nervous man with a gun? If there isn't, there should be.

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

Income, that is the thing, I wish an income that will keep flowing into my purse whether I sit upon the wall or travel to far lands.

In those things which we exerted our best energies, we succeeded.

A part of all you earn is yours to keep. Never less than ten percent.

Advice is one thing that is freely given away but watch that you take only what is worth having.

1. Living upon less than what you earn.
2. Ask advice from those experienced.
3. Make gold work for you.

Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those that are unprepared.

When I start a task for myself, I complete it. Therefore I am careful not to start difficult and impractical tasks, because I love leisure.

That what each of us calls our necessary expenses will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to to the contrary.

Let thy motto be one hundred percent of appreciated value demanded for each coin spend.

1. Save ten percent of income.
2. Budget expenses not to exceed the other ninty percent.
3. Get your savings to work for you and multiply.
4. Invest safely. Get good advice.
5. Own your home. Make it a profitable investment.
6. Plan for retirement.
7. Continually make yourself wiser.

We must first secure small amounts and learn to protect them before the Gods entrust us with larger.

Preceeding accomplishment must be desire. Thy desires must be strong and definate. For a man to desire 5 pieces of gold is a tangible desire which he can press to fulfullment.

Good luck waits to come to that man who accepts opportunity. Good luck fled from procrastination.

Men of action are favored by the goddess of good luck.

However, there is no chain of disasters that won't come to an end.

I like not idle gold even less than I like too much risk.

Does not a great king fight his enemies in every way he can and with every force he has? Thy debts are thy enemies.

To get out of debt:
1. Pay yourself ten percent
2. Pay your debts twenty percent
3. Live on less than seventy percent

Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer

The European traveler is accustomed to seeing Asia from above. By that I mean that...the European is generally a good deal better off than the people through whose territory he is passing. So the foreigner tends to ride the high horse of privilege and view the backwoods and their denizens from above. It was otherwise with Herr Harrer.

During the period he rose - from the confidence he inspired rather than because he angled for preferment - from being a destitute and alien vagabond to a well rewarded post as tutor and confidant of the young Dalai Lama.

One of the best characteristics of the Tibetan people is their tolerance of other creeds.

Their monastic theocracy has never sought the conversion of infidels.

It is not lack of work or dire necessity that makes people beggars; not, in most cases bodily infirmity. It is pure laziness.

[The Dalai Lama's] greatest worry was whether his knowledge equaled that of a western school boy of the same age, or whether he would in Europe be classed as a backward Tibetan. Tibetans are anything but dull witted; they are confusing education with intelligence.

[The 13th Dalai Lama] wished to enact new laws but met with bitter opposition from his conservative entourage, who quoted the utterances of the 5th Dalai Lama on the same context. To which the 13th Dalai Lama replied "and who was the 5th former body?" The monks, thereon, prostrated themselves before him for his answer had left them speechless. As an incarnation he was all other Dalai Lama's as well. It entered my mind when I heard this story how lucky Tibet has been never to have a ruler like Nero or Ivan the Terrible. But to a Tibetan such a thought could never occur, for how could an incarnation of the God of Grace by other than good?