“I grew up in Oregon, where as a teenager I worked with my grandfather ...” — Karl Marlantes Quote

“I grew up in Oregon, where as a teenager I worked with my grandfather Axel on his i shing boat at the mouth of the Columbia River.”

“I knew many Marines had done brave deeds that no one saw and for which they got no medals at all. I was having a very hard time carrying those medals and didn't have the insight or maturity to know what to do with my combination of guilt and pride.”

“War is society's dirty work, usually done by kids cleaning up failures perpetrated by adults.”

“You can get swept away quickly - it's terrifying. When you're living a more luxurious life - being brought out to a fancy boat by a brand or something - you realize how many different pockets of the world exist and it's easy to lose yourself.”

“To me, 'Show Boat' was the first American musical, the first to have the real texture of this country.”

“To get a good deal, I buy them all with a friend. The houses, the boat, everything. We each buy half. So I pay half price! They get used more.”