"I had been handed what might be called a full menu of all the troubles in my life while still too young to read it." Chap. 1, p. 15

"I preferred by far to be by myself reading a book, playing with building blocks, indulging in my willful fantasies, or drawing pictures." Chap. 1, p. 25

"It seemed to me that since it was I, even if actually struck by a bullet, there would surely be no pain. . ." Chap. 1, p. 28

"Time and time again I looked from the stains on my own white gloves to those on Omi's. . ." Chap. 2, p. 71

"For me love was nothing but a dialogue of little riddles, with no answers given." Chap. 2, p. 72

"I believed optimistically that once the performance was finished the curtain would fall and the audience would never see the actor without his makeup." Chap. 3, p. 101

"Thus it came about that we were given a...