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Quote by Tao Lin

“a kind of emptiness existed in the center of my bagel; really it was just the hole that's in the middle of all bagels; 'i need to go read my blog to find out what my politics are”

Quote by Tao Lin

Book:Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

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Author

Tao Lin
Tao Lin

Tao Lin is a contemporary Chinese novelist known for his minimalist style and introspective narratives. Born on July 2, 1983, he has gained significant attention for his work that often explores themes of alienation and the digital age. more

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“Have you thought about what you want to write about?" I shrug. "Working in Pop's Deli, I thought," I tell her. I could describe the ladies who come in on their lunch break. The old men with their oniony smells. I can talk about how I make their lives better with smoked salmon and capers, and how, even though there are fewer customers than there used to be, we've formed a community there. I can use just enough detail that it might be clear how an everything bagel is a metaphor for the whole world.”

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Book:Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love
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“When I go downstairs, Pop has just lifted the metal door that covers the storefront. It rattles on its way up and sends light all through everything, the deli case and the floor I mopped till it shone last night before closing. I go to get the chopped liver and the whitefish from the walk-in fridge, shielding my hands with a second skin of latex, then scoop them into the containers. I slice up onions and lettuce and tomatoes. I set out orange-pink lox on a platter and lay down a sheet of saran wrap over it.”

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Book:Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love
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“In the center of the table is a classic deli platter of lox and tuna salad with all the fixings, bagels, and cream cheeses. And on a trivet, a noodle kugel, a casserole of egg noodles suspended in a light sweet custard, with a crunchy topping of crushed cornflakes mixed with cinnamon and brown sugar. It was always my favorite thing my mom ever made. "All my favorites." My mom beams at me. "And mine too. Let's eat!" my dad says, swatting my mom on her ample tush. We make our plates, I grab a plain bagel and top one up with tuna salad and dill pickle, and the other with chive cream cheese and cucumber. I also help myself to a large corner chunk of kugel, for maximum crispy edges, and some coleslaw. Clearly someone went all the way out to Kaufman's on Dempster in Skokie; I can tell by the bagels. A slight crunch on the outside gives way to perfect dense chewiness.”

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“On a table in front of her was an enormous spread from Russ & Daughters: a dozen assorted bagels, smoked mackerel, smoked salmon, three tubs of cream cheese (plain, scallion, horseradish-dill), sliced tomatoes and onions, capers, and an entire chocolate babka, plus black-and-white cookies and hamantaschen. "Can you believe all this?" asked Molly, as she chewed a giant bite of pumpernickel bagel schmeared so heavily with cream cheese it was almost an even ratio of dairy to carb. "Netflix sent this! They're worried about the campaign to get me reinstated and that I'll call them on discrimination online, which I might still do. You have to try some of this!" Their roles must've genuinely reversed, because Isabella, for the first time in her life, had forgotten to eat lunch, and she never forgot to eat lunch. This Russ & Daughters arrived at the perfect moment. "The only thing Netflix sends me is a bill," said Isabella, expertly loading up her bagel with horseradish-dill cream cheese, a few slices of smoked salmon and raw red onion, sprinkling on some capers at the end. Her father had taught her how to eat a proper bagel at Barney Greengrass, and she firmly believed that the worse it made your breath the better.”

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“Sam threw up on Mark's new blazer. "Shit," said Mark. "I'm sorry," I said. Sam started to cry. There was a kind of odd murmur in the seats around us, as the smell began to penetrate to the adjoining rows. At any moment the murmur would probably build to a hiss, and then a chorus of boos, and ultimately Sam and I would be stoned to death with Bic pens. "What am I apologizing for?" I said. "It's not my fault." "I know it's not," said Mark. "I'm sorry." "It's not your fault either," I said. "This whole thing is my fault," he said. "If you really believed that, you would have paid my shuttle fare," I said. I picked up Sam and stood up to go to the bathroom with him. Mark began to wipe off his blazer with his handkerchief. "You bought that blazer with Thelma Rice, didn't you?" I said, and started for the back. I didn't even have to hear the answer. Mark's impulse to fall in love is always accompanied by his impulse to purchase clothes with the loved one looking on.”

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“Soldiers of Christ Arise Soldiers of Christ arise And put your armor on Strong in the strength that God supplies Through his eternal Son Strong in the Lord of hosts And in His mighty power Who, in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror I have no bow of burning gold To shoot my arrows of desire And yet, oh God, I crave a life That will transmit thy holy fire I shall not cease from mental strife Nor shall my pen slip in my hand 'Til I've seen God's holy men arise And shake our needy land”

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Book:Revival God's Way
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“She had lunch with Betty yesterday," said Mark, "and Betty told her you said she had herpes." "I never said herpes," I said. "You must have said something," said Mark. "I said she had an infection," I said. "Well, she's furious at you," said Mark. "She's furious at me," I said. "That's rich." All my life I had wanted to say, "That's rich." Now I finally had gotten my chance. "That's really rich," I said. "Listen, you bastard. You tell Thelma that if she keeps calling here, I'll tell Betty she has the clap." "Clap hands," said Sam, and clapped his hands together. "I'll get it into the Ear, too," I said. "What hopelessly tall and ungainly Washington hostess has a social disease, and we don't mean her usual climbing?”

IronyInfidelity In MarriageShots FiredSmack TalkGossiping Women
Book:Heartburn
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