All of us started normal. All of us started out as functioning human beings with the potential to do almost anything we wanted, but somewhere along the paths of our lives, we got lost.

— James Frey

America was first colonized by Puritans. Most of our earliest immigrants, and many since, have come here in order to practice their religious beliefs as they please. Our culture has always been, and will most likely always be, profoundly influenced by religion.

— James Frey

Are we biology or God or something higher? I know my heart beats and I listen to it. The beat is biology, but what is the song?

— James Frey

Be bold. But not bold, be fucking bold.

— James Frey

Be strong. Live honorably and with dignity. When you don't think you can, hold on.

— James Frey

Even a second of freedom is worth more than a lifetime of bondage.

— James Frey

Gauguin was a stockbroker in Paris, married, had five kids. One day he came home from work and told his wife he was leaving, that he was through supporting the family, that he had had enough. Just like that he fucking took off. He said he had always felt that he was a painter, so he moved to a rat-infested shithole and started painting. His wife begged him to come back, his bosses told him he was insane, he didn't care, he was following his heart. He left Paris, moved to Rouen, went from Rouen to Axles, from Axles to Tahiti. He was searching for peace, contentment, trying to fill that fucking hole he felt inside, and he believed he could fill it. Furthermore, he died in Tahiti, blind and crazy from syphilis, but he did it. Furthermore, he filled his fucking hole, made beautiful work, made beautiful, beautiful work... It takes a brave man to walk away, to care so much that he doesn't care about anything else, to be willing to obey what he feels inside, to be willing to suffer the consequences of living for himself. Every time I stand before his work it makes me cry, and I cry because I'm proud of him, and happy for him, and because I admire him.

— James Frey

He tells me I look as if I could use a hug and I laugh at him, and he ignores me and steps forward and puts his arms around me and hugs me. I warm at the simple pleasure of human contact and for the first time in a long time I actually feel good." (James Frey, pg.38)

— James Frey

If there was a God. I would spit in his face for subjecting me to this. If there was a Devil, I would sell my would to make it end. If there was something Higher that controlled out f***ING fates, I would tell it to take my fate and shove it up its fucking ass. Shove it hard and far, you mother***er. Please end. Please end. Please end.

— James Frey

I'm tired of making people sad, and I'm tired of disappointing them, and I'm tired of seeing them break. I have seen this too many times. He will be the last.

— James Frey