42 Michael Dirda Quotes for You to Enjoy

Michael Dirda

American Critic

Born: 1948

Books Me People Reading Sometimes Time

Related authors: George Steiner Henry Louis Gates James Wolcott Kimberly Guilfoyle Margaret Fuller Pauline Kael Roger Ebert bell hooks

Halloween isn't the only time for ghosts and ghost stories. In Victorian Britain, spooky winter's tales were part of the Christmas season, often told after dinner, over port or coffee. Michael Dirda

Christmas Time Spooky Winter Halloween Coffee Dinner Ghost Ghost Stories Ghosts Only Only Time Part Over Tales Were Often Stories After Victorian Season Port Britain

While Napoleon believed his fortunes to be governed by destiny, his real genius lay in self-control and martial daring coupled with an indomitable will to power. Michael Dirda

Genius Will Power Destiny Daring Martial Lay Self-Control Indomitable Coupled Napoleon Real Governed His While Fortunes Believed

The only kind of notebook I actively dislike is the steno pad, entirely because of that vertical line down the middle of the page. I presume it has some arcane secretarial use, but to me, it's both ugly and confusing. Michael Dirda

In truth, my Anglophilia is fundamentally bookish: I yearn for one of those country house libraries, lined on three walls with mahogany bookshelves, their serried splendor interrupted only by enough space to display, above the fireplace, a pair of crossed swords or sculling oars and perhaps a portrait of some great English worthy. Michael Dirda

Truth Great Walls Space Three Country Enough Those Libraries Worthy Some Above Crossed Only Splendor Fireplace Perhaps House Yearn Lined English Display Pair Swords Portrait Fundamentally Interrupted

For even the ordinary well-read person, the French Enlightenment is largely restricted to the three big-name philosophes: Diderot, Rousseau, Voltaire. Michael Dirda

Three Restricted Voltaire French Well-Read Person Ordinary Even Largely Enlightenment

Long ago, I realized that my only talent - aside from the rugged good looks, of course, and the strange power I hold over elderly women - can be reduced to a single word: doggedness. Michael Dirda

At 17, I traveled to Mexico in a lemon yellow Mustang and saved money by bunking down in cheap, cockroach-infested flophouses. In my early 20s, I went on to thumb rides through Europe, readily sleeping in train stations, my backpack as a pillow. Once I even hunkered down for a night on a sidewalk grate - for warmth - in Paris. Michael Dirda

Money Down Saved Sleeping Sidewalk Once Backpack Stations Paris Through Cheap Thumb Readily Pillow Yellow Mexico Train Lemon Warmth Europe Rides Even Traveled Early Early 20s Night

With any luck, Heaven itself will resemble a vast used bookstore, with a really good cafe in one corner, serving dark beer and kielbasa to keep up one's strength while browsing, and all around will be the kind of angels usually found in Victoria's Secret catalogs. Michael Dirda

Good Strength Beer Cafe Dark Will Luck Corner Secret Bookstore Kind All-Around Angels Vast Catalogs Around Up Itself Any Heaven While Victoria Victorias Secret Really Used Resemble Keep Found Serving