Quotes by Novelists

When you betray somebody else, you also betray yourself. Isaac Bashevis Singer
Wisdom You Yourself Somebody Else Betray Also
A safe fairyland is untrue to all worlds. J. R. R. Tolkien
Worlds Safe Untrue
A friend of mine tells that I talk in shorthand and then smudge it. J. R. R. Tolkien
Mine Tells Talk Friend Shorthand Then
Life is so short. I would rather sing one song than interpret the thousand. Jack London
Life Song Thousand Would Rather Sing Than Short Interpret
Nobody is more dangerous than he who imagines himself pure in heart; for his purity, by definition, is unassailable. James Baldwin
Heart Dangerous Pure Definition More Purity He Nobody Himself His Than Who
A century ago, petroleum - what we call oil - was just an obscure commodity; today it is almost as vital to human existence as water. James Buchan
Today Water Vital Obscure Almost Call Existence Human Commodity Just Oil Human Existence Century Petroleum
Your battles inspired me - not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead. James Joyce
Me Those Battles Inspired Obvious Forehead Material Were Won Behind Your Fought
A good story, a story resonant and remarkable, can be remade endlessly to tell new sides of itself for new generations of readers. Jean Hanff Korelitz
Good Resonant Sides Tell Remade Good Story Remarkable Generations New Readers Itself Endlessly Story
Good habits are worth being fanatical about. John Irving
Good Worth About Habits Being Fanatical Good Habits
Every marriage tends to consist of an aristocrat and a peasant. Of a teacher and a learner. John Updike
Teacher Marriage Every Consist Tends Aristocrat Learner Peasant
Gossip is what no one claims to like, but everybody enjoys. Joseph Conrad
Gossip Everybody Claims No-One Like
In order to move others deeply we must deliberately allow ourselves to be carried away beyond the bounds of our normal sensibility. Joseph Conrad
Others Our Carried Ourselves Must Deliberately Allow Bounds Beyond Normal Move Order Sensibility Away Deeply
Peace on earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it. Joseph Heller
Peace Earth Would Civilization Know End Mean
For some reason, voters can be brainwashed, and they vote sometimes against their own best interests, let alone voting against the interests of people who need them, like people who are disenfranchised and people who are poor and so forth. Joyce Carol Oates
Alone Best Vote People Sometimes Voting Own Best Interests Some Like Voters Brainwashed Disenfranchised Against Them Poor Forth Interests Reason Who Need
I should say, one of the things about being a widow or a widower, you really, really need a sense of humor, because everything's going to fall apart. Joyce Carol Oates
You Sense Of Humor Humor Fall Sense Everything Say One Of The Things About Because Going Being Apart Really Should Things Widow Need
I am politically pro-choice, but personally pro-life. I have my faith but refuse to force it on the world at large - especially this world, so brutal and unjust. I cannot make these wrenching personal life and death decisions for others - nor do I believe they should be made by a church run by childless men. Julianna Baggott
Life Death Faith World Church Made Men Personal Life Believe Unjust Others Run Life And Death Wrenching Brutal Force Make Am Nor Personal Pro-Choice Pro-Life Politically Refuse Childless Cannot Decisions Personally Should Large
First-rate people hire first-rate people; second-rate people hire third-rate people. Leo Rosten
Business People Second-Rate First-Rate Hire
The chief difference between words and deeds is that words are always intended for men for their approbation, but deeds can be done only for God. Leo Tolstoy
God Words Men Approbation Only Between Always Chief Intended Done Difference Deeds
Man lives consciously for himself, but is an unconscious instrument in the attainment of the historic, universal, aims of humanity. Leo Tolstoy
Man Humanity Aims Attainment Unconscious Instrument Himself Historic Man Lives Lives Universal
He never chooses an opinion; he just wears whatever happens to be in style. Leo Tolstoy
Style Whatever Wears Never He Opinion Just Happens Chooses
We lost because we told ourselves we lost. Leo Tolstoy
Lost Ourselves Because
All violence consists in some people forcing others, under threat of suffering or death, to do what they do not want to do. Leo Tolstoy
Death Suffering People Some People Forcing Others Consists Threat Some Want Violence
Let my name stand among those who are willing to bear ridicule and reproach for the truth's sake, and so earn some right to rejoice when the victory is won. Louisa May Alcott
Truth Victory Earn Those Willing Some Bear Name Sake Won Reproach Stand Who Ridicule Among Right Rejoice
My motto is, if you love something, don't set it free. No matter how hard it struggles. That would be stupid. Lydia Millet
Love You Matter Free Stupid Would Would-Be My Motto Something Struggles How Motto Hard Set
True adulthood occurs the moment we grasp that the people who raised us do not exist solely for our comfort and reassurance. From that point on, the steady stream of unconditional love and support we've expected from them all our lives has to flow both ways. Lynn Coady
Love People Stream Our Our Lives Solely Ways All Our Lives Steady Both Point Both Ways Unconditional Unconditional Love Adulthood Support True Comfort Occurs Exist Expected Them Us Moment Who Reassurance Grasp Lives Flow Raised
In the evening of life we shall be judged on love, and not one of us is going to come off very well, and were it not for my absolute faith in the loving forgiveness of my Lord I could not call on him to come. Madeleine L'Engle
Life Love Faith Forgiveness Shall Absolute Could Come Well Call Him Judged Lord Were Off Very Going Loving Us Evening
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