Political Quotes

“I come to the Senate floor today to talk about a treasured Vermont author, Katherine Paterson. Her award-winning prose has won alcolades near and far, but her writing has reached more than just those who have read her published words. In 2004, she started a letter exchange with an American soldier based in Afghanistan. Upon his return, she helped him launch his writing career. Trent Reedy of the Iowa Army National Guard was enthralled with Paterson's master work, ``Bridge to Terabithia,'' while deployed to Farah, Afghanistan. Reedy's wife Amanda sent him the book, and he loved it so much that he read it in one sitting and sent a thank you note to the author. Katherine's husband John, whom I knew as a gentle soul, sorted her mail and made sure that his wife saw the letter from Trent. A correspondence began between the two, and Trent finally revealed his intent to become a writer. Upon his return, Trent visited Katherine and John in Vermont and at Katherine's urging, and with her recommendation, studied writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts and later wrote his first novel, ``Words in the Dust.'' As someone who considers Katherine and her late husband to be special friends, I was thrilled to read Sally Pollak's article in the Burlington Free Press, ``Soldier finds lifeline in letter exchange with Vermont author.'' In fact I was so pleased, I called Katherine the day the story was published.…”