No one has breakfast at Tiffany's and no one has affairs to remember.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: This quotation is in the opening chapter of the book and sets the tone for the setting and themes of the rest of the book. This book focusses on the end of love in Manhattan and by alluding to classic New York love stories (like Breakfast at Tiffany's and An Affair to Remember) the author emphasizes the loss of this romantic sensibility.

I really don't give a shit.' And the scary thing was, she didn't.
-- Carrie (chapter 1)

Importance: This is what Carrie says to Barkley after he goes home with another girl after their date. This shows the detachment that is understood to be integral in relationships as a shield to avoid getting hurt.

New York has bred a particular type of single woman--smart, attractive, successful, and...never married."
-- Narrator (chapter 4)

Importance: This quotation describes how the phenomenon of women in their...