"What the hell are you doing?"

"What the hell are you doing?" - The System of the World by Neal Stephenson

"Their hair piled high in the style of the fifties"

"Their hair piled high in the style of the fifties" - In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

"He was having a hard time keeping her on his mind"

"He was having a hard time keeping her on his mind" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"The actress put out her hand"

"The actress put out her hand" - Bandbox by Thomas Mallon

"He, of all people, knows what's real and what's not"

"He, of all people, knows what's real and what's not" - Brother on Sunday by A. M. Homes

"Zipping past the white fencing and rusting wire"

"Zipping past the white fencing and rusting wire" - The Gangsters by Colson Whitehead

"The roadside ditches were full of jumpweed and slashberry"

"The roadside ditches were full of jumpweed and slashberry" - Anathem by Neal Stephenson

"And we learn even more by trying and failing"

"And we learn even more by trying and failing" - N. by Stephen King

"She didn't want to be like that"

"She didn't want to be like that" - Jazz by Toni Morrison

"In no time laughter was rocking them both"

"In no time laughter was rocking them both" - Jazz by Toni Morrison

"Damn the snakes my man was coming for me"

"Damn the snakes my man was coming for me" - Jazz by Toni Morrison

"You may not be ready for enlightenment"

"You may not be ready for enlightenment" - Pearls Before Swine Calendar 2009 by Stephan Pastis

"Interpretation isn't my department"

"Interpretation isn't my department" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"The secrecy of the confessional has not been violated"

"The secrecy of the confessional has not been violated" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"Everything is silent except for the surf"

"Everything is silent except for the surf" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"Any thought that this was just a joke evaporated"

"Any thought that this was just a joke evaporated" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"A night train from Birmingham blows through"

"A night train from Birmingham blows through" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"My family's done a lot of traveling around"

"My family's done a lot of traveling around" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"On the walls, diverse oil paintings"

"On the walls, diverse oil paintings" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

"A massive, blocky modern sculpture sits over the door"

"A massive, blocky modern sculpture sits over the door" - Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson