I Feel Sorry For Anyone

Gathering Blue' Was A Separate Book. I Wanted To Explore What A Society Might Become After A Catastrophic World Event. Only At The End Did I Realize I Could Make It Connect To 'the Giver.

You Remember That I Told You It Was Safer Not To Know. But,' He Went On, As His Hands Moved Wuth Their Sure And Practiced Motion, 'i Will Tell You Just A Little, Because You Were So Very Brave.' Brave?' Annemarie Asked, Surprised. 'no, I Wasn't. I Was Very Frightened.' You Risked Your Life.' But I Didn't Even Think About That! I Was Only Thinking Of-' He Interrupted Her,smiling. 'that's All That Brave Means-not Thinking About The Dangers. Just Thinking About What You Must Do. Of Course You Were Frightened. I Was Too, Today. But You Kept Your Mind On What You Had To Do. So Did I.

I Have Been Fortunate. I Have Done So Many Things And Enjoyed So Many Things And Had Such A Great Life, Not To Imply That It Is Ending, But That There Aren't Many Things That I Feel I Have Left Undone.

Kids Deserve The Right To Think That They Can Change The World.

Submitting To Censorship Is To Enter The Seductive World Of 'the Giver': The World Where There Are No Bad Words And No Bad Deeds. But It Is Also The World Where Choice Has Been Taken Away And Reality Distorted. And That Is The Most Dangerous World Of All.