Quotes

I'm very simple when it comes to gifts, so the best ones that I've received have love as their main intention. I appreciate everything.

I love going to work out now. It gets out aggression and my trainer really shakes it up so I don't get bored.

I remember Tyra Banks giving me encouraging advice during my first Victoria's Secret commercial shoot. I was so nervous, and she told me to just relax and be confident - that made me feel very comfortable.

I eat everything I want on Christmas day. I really don't watch what I eat. It's not like you have Christmas every day!

I love my job and I love my children. It's really about figuring out your schedules and getting everything down that you need to do and sticking to your plan.

In Brazil, we don't have Victoria's Secret, and my family are all Victoria's Secret fans, so I usually bring them back some lovely pieces.

When I was young, around 5, I was crying in all the pictures of me. I did not like the flash; it scared me!

I've never been to the gym. I do nothing.

Younger guys are just too jealous.

I have a great tip - I have a jumping rope in the house, and I just do ten minutes of it whenever I can. You don't need to work out for hours, just ten minutes will do.

If you look around Brazil you see pregnant women everywhere. Here you don't see that as much. There the only thing they do is babies, babies, babies! Especially the poor families.

If I am not moving I get bored very easily.

I love old-fashioned manners, as long as it's not forced. I can tell when it's natural or when someone is just trying to impress me.

There is no one on earth who knew you from the day you were born; who knew why you cried, or when you'd had enough food; who knew exactly what to say when you were hurting; and who encouraged you to grow a good heart. When that layer goes, whatever is left of your childhood goes with her.

Food is so important - it sustains us, it provides a social focal point, and it is fun. I cannot unravel the difference between love in my family and the preparation of food because they are so closely woven.

No one worries about you like your mother, and when she is gone, the world seems unsafe, things that happen unwieldy. You cannot turn to her anymore, and it changes your life forever.

I understand how a first impression is often just that: a quick snapshot that, on its own merit, is meaningless.

There are two phone calls parents don't ever want to get from their children. No. 1 is, 'I'm in prison. Come fetch me.' And No. 2 is, 'I've written a novel... and it's set in your hometown.'

You never know when some small thing will lead to a big idea. Travel is very inspirational - but it's in the ordinary that I find my themes of love and work and family.

I fell in love with reading when I was allowed to choose whatever books I wanted to check out of the library.

I'm directing and writing the 'Big Stone Gap' movie.

Motherhood changes everything.

The Calandra Institute, the Metropolitan Opera Archives, the library at Lincoln Center, and the Fashion Institute of Technology were helpful and key to piecing together what life must have been like at the turn of the last century.

If there is one thing I hope my books do always and forever, it's that they honor working people.

Book clubs are the best thing that has happened to the world of publishing.