What are some of your favorite literary passages and why?

I find that there are certain literary passages I enjoy reading repeatedly, even if I do not re-read the entire work. Sometimes this is because they are amusing, particularly well written or comforting in some way.

For example, when I’m feeling ill or have insomnia I find that reading the first portion of Chapter One of “Murder on the Orient Express” always makes me feel better and ready to drop off to sleep. There is something about the description of Hercule Poirot waiting on the freezing cold train platform in the wee hours of morning and then finally boarding to nod off in his warm compartment that relaxes me. I like the subject matter and the way that Agatha Christie so deftly describes the scene and the small details.

What are your most beloved literary passages and why? Are there particular ones you turn to when you are feeling a certain way or want to evoke a specific emotion?