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Quote by Tracy Kidder

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The Road to Yuba City: A Journey into the Juan Corona Murders

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Author

Tracy Kidder
Tracy Kidder

Tracy Kidder, born on November 12, 1945, is an American writer known for his in-depth investigative reporting and biographical works. His writing is characterized by its straightforward narrative style and detailed portrayal of ordinary people's extraordinary lives, with notable works including 'Mountains Beyond Mountains' and 'Souls in the Hands of God'. more

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“The Pi Betas had accepted the fact that Rose was Mexican, but it was obvious they would just as soon ignore it. And they seemed to assume Rose wanted to do that, too. The other girls might not be overtly disturbed by the fact that Rose was a chicana, but they certainly were not going to encourage her to explore her heritage. No, if Rose joined the Pi Betas, she would have to deny the biggest part of herself. She would have to become completely American.”

“I am an undocumented transfer student to UCLA. This university has always been my dream, but being here has been on of the hardest experiences of my life. I do not receive financial aid, and I do not meet any of the requirements to receive any kind of scholarship because I do not have a Social Securty number.”

“A human being basically could not live alone. I had always thought of one’s soul as an imperfect creature; God had created it that way to allow the need to exist –the need to have relationships with other people in order to always run after the one obsession that had humanity seeking it on regular basis –perfection. Whether that relationship was between family members, friends, co-workers or even a romantic relationship, it was always people’s way to achieve flawlessness since they couldn’t accomplish it on their own.”

“Lila smiles, reaches into the cloth covering whatever goodies are in the basket, and pulls out a concha. The top of the pastry is a swirl of colors- deep purple, inky blue, pink, green, gold. It reminds me of the galaxy, and I stare for a moment, mesmerized, before I take it from her. My mouth begins to water. "This smells incredible," I say. "What do I owe you?" "It's on the house," she says, already turning away. "Enjoy." I want to argue, but the urge to bite into the pastry is nearly irresistible now. I've never had Mexican pastries before. But first... I pick up my phone from the bench and take a picture of the gorgeous creation. Then, putting it back down, I take a big bite and close my eyes. My mouth explodes with flavors and sensations- sweet, yeasty, warm. In another three bites, I've eaten the entire four-inch ball of dough and am licking my fingers.”

“Que el anarquismo es una maravillosa idea de libertad, no tener a nadie encima de uno. Ningún poder superior, ninguna cadena. No hay idea más maravillosa. No hay idea menos practicable. Pero hay que mantener la utopía de las ideas. Si no, nos convertimos en bestias. También la vida práctica es un hoyo negro que los lleva a la muerte. La revolución, la anarquía, la libertad son los premios del pensamiento. No tienen más que un trono, nuestra cabeza.”