John Boyne - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2006)

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The thing about exploring is that you have to know whether the thing you've found is worth finding. Some things are just sitting there, minding their own business, waiting to be discovered. Like America. And other things are probably better off left alone. Like a dead mouse at the back of the cupboard.

John Boyne
He looked down and did something quite out of character for him: he took hold of Shmuel's tiny hand in his and squeezed it tightly. "You're my best friend, Shmuel," he said. "My best friend for life.

John Boyne
In his heart, he knew that there was no reason to be impolite to someone, even if they did work for you. There was such a thing as manners after all.

John Boyne
Don't make it worse by thinking it's more painful than it actually is.

John Boyne
Well you've been brought here against your will, just like I have. If you ask me, we're all in the same boat. And it's leaking.

John Boyne
He suddenly became convinced that if he didn't do something sensible, something to put his mind to some use, then before he knew it he would be wondering round the streets having fights with himself and inviting domestic animals to social occasions too.

John Boyne
But still there are moments when a brother and sister can lay down their instruments of torture for a moment and speak as civilized human beings and Bruno decided to make this one of those moments.

John Boyne
The people I see from my window. In the huts, in the distance. They're all dressed the same.' 'Ah, those people,' said Father, nodding his head and smiling slightly. 'Those people...well, they're not people at all, Bruno.' Bruno frowned. 'They're not?' he asked, unsure what Father meant by that.

John Boyne
The dot that became a speck that became a blob that became a figure that became a boy

John Boyne
Very slowly he turned his head back to look at Shmuel, who wasn't crying anymore, merely staring at the floor and looking as if he was trying to convince his soul not to live inside his tiny body anymore, but to slip away and sail to the door and rise up into the sky, gliding through the clouds until it was very far away.'' -The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

John Boyne
What exactly was the difference? he wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore the uniforms?

John Boyne
Just because a man glances up at the sky at night does not make him an astronomer, you know.

John Boyne