9371 quotes by novelists for you to enjoy

Action is consolatory. It is the enemy of thought and the friend of flattering illusions. Joseph Conrad

Enemy Thought Action Friend Flattering Illusions

A conservative is one who admires radicals centuries after they're dead. Leo Rosten

Politics Conservative Admires Dead After Centuries Who Radicals

We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts. Madeleine L'Engle

Our Take Talents Counts How Any Them Use Credit

No other human being, no woman, no poem or music, book or painting can replace alcohol in its power to give man the illusion of real creation. Marguerite Duras

Music Man Woman Book Human Being Illusion Power Creation Painting Alcohol Other Give Poem Real Replace Human Being

Alcohol doesn't console, it doesn't fill up anyone's psychological gaps, all it replaces is the lack of God. It doesn't comfort man. On the contrary, it encourages him in his folly, it transports him to the supreme regions where he is master of his own destiny. Marguerite Duras

God Man Master Own Alcohol On The Contrary Destiny Console Folly He Supreme Him Comfort His Encourages Up Contrary Lack Where Anyone Psychological Regions Transports Gaps Fill

Social order at the expense of liberty is hardly a bargain. Marquis de Sade

Liberty Expense Order Social Bargain Social Order Hardly

The appeal of perfume is that it is at once ephemeral and empowering. It creates a shimmering invisible armor that lingers in a room long after its wearer has gone and infuses our imagination with a subtle power, hinting at a hidden identity. Mary Gaitskill

Long Power Gone Imagination Our Once Hidden Invisible Perfume Armor Identity Empowering Lingers After Subtle Room Ephemeral Creates Appeal

I'm a quiet person, and I live a quiet, pleasant, ordinary, simple life. Mary McGarry Morris

Life Simple Live Pleasant Simple Life Quiet Person Ordinary

When work is a pleasure, life is a joy! When work is a duty, life is slavery. Maxim Gorky

Life Work Joy Life Is A Duty Pleasure Slavery

A closed mouth catches no flies. Miguel de Cervantes

Wisdom Closed Mouth Flies

He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses his courage loses all. Miguel de Cervantes

Courage Wealth More He Loses His Friend Much Who

The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove one's self a fool; the truest heroism is to resist the doubt; and the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to be resisted, and when it be obeyed. Nathaniel Hawthorne

Yes, you are under surveillance. Yes, it is odious. Yes, it should bother you. And yes, it's hard to know how to avoid it. Nick Harkaway

You Bother Know How Odious Yes Surveillance Should Hard Avoid

I am happy being what I am. Paul Theroux

Happy Am Being

The moment that changed me for ever was the moment my first child was born. I was happy, filled with hope, and thought, 'Now I understand the whole point of work, of life, of love.' Paul Theroux

Life Work Love Hope Me Happy Thought First Changed Born Point First Child Understand Child Moment Whole Filled Now Ever

Maine is a joy in the summer. But the soul of Maine is more apparent in the winter. Paul Theroux

Winter Soul Joy Summer More Maine Apparent

You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings. Pearl S. Buck

You Yourself Feelings Something Spite Feel Make Cannot Your Right

We are not primarily put on this earth to see through one another, but to see one another through. Peter De Vries

Earth See Through Put Primarily Another

Can miles truly separate you from friends... If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there? Richard Bach

Love You Someone Truly Friends Want Separate Miles

Same with anyone who's been flying for years and loves it still... we're part of a world we deeply love. Just as musicians feel about scores and melodies, dancers about the steps and flow of music, so we're one with the principle of flight, the magic of being aloft in the wind! Richard Bach

Love Music Musicians World Wind Dancers Flying Melodies Magic About Part Feel Steps Principle Still Been Years Scores Same Just Being Anyone Loves Flight Deeply Flow

Life is not a dress rehearsal. Rose Tremain

Life Dress Rehearsal

A fool can throw a stone in a pond that 100 wise men can not get out. Saul Bellow

Wise Fool Men Out Throw Wise Men Get Stone Pond

You have reached the pinnacle of success as soon as you become uninterested in money, compliments, or publicity. Thomas Wolfe

Success You Money Become Compliments Soon Reached Pinnacle Uninterested Publicity

Quotes by Novelists