9374 quotes by novelists for you to enjoy

The essential self is innocent, and when it tastes its own innocence knows that it lives for ever. John Updike

Innocent Own Innocence Self Knows Tastes Essential Ever Lives

In tennis, there is the forehand, the backhand, the overhead smash and the drop volley, all with a different grip. John Updike

Drop Volley Tennis Smash Overhead Different Grip

History repeats itself, but the special call of an art which has passed away is never reproduced. It is as utterly gone out of the world as the song of a destroyed wild bird. Joseph Conrad

Art History Song History Repeats Itself World Bird Gone Wild Destroyed Out Never Call Passed Repeats Itself Which Special Away Utterly

The scrupulous and the just, the noble, humane, and devoted natures; the unselfish and the intelligent may begin a movement - but it passes away from them. They are not the leaders of a revolution. They are its victims. Joseph Conrad

Revolution Humane Unselfish Leaders Noble Devoted Passes Begin Intelligent May Just Movement Victims Them Natures Away

Perhaps life is just that... a dream and a fear. Joseph Conrad

Life Dreams Fear Dream Perhaps Just

Some people are born mediocre, some people achieve mediocrity, and some people have mediocrity thrust upon them. Joseph Heller

People Achieve Some People Mediocrity Some Born Thrust Them Mediocre

Every writer I know has trouble writing. Joseph Heller

Writing Trouble Every Writer Know

Colorful garments - ball gowns, kimonos, evening pajamas - made from yards upon yards of iridescent silk or velvet. I own an unjustifiable number of such outfits and jump at the chance to wear them. Against the etiquette about which I am otherwise all too conscious, I frequently, and unrepentantly, overdress for the occasion. Julia Glass

Made Own Too Otherwise Kimono Wear Outfits Silk About Colorful Velvet Occasion Ball Frequently Yards Am Jump Which Against Them Etiquette Evening Pajamas Garments Conscious Chance Number

This is the strange thing about South Africa - for all its corruption and crime, it seems to offer a stimulating sense that anything is possible. Justin Cartwright

Strange Corruption Crime South Africa Sense Possible About Seems Stimulating South Offer Africa Anything Anything Is Possible Strange Thing Thing

Syria's neighboring countries cannot and should not carry the cost of caring for refugees on their own. The international community must share the burden with them by providing economic aid, investing in development in those countries, and opening their own borders to desperate Syrian families looking for protection. Khaled Hosseini

Protection Burden Desperate Looking Own Community Aid Caring Those Syria Syrian Neighboring Carry Must Borders Cost Economic Share Investing Development Countries Opening Providing Families Refugees Cannot Them Should International International Community

I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe. Leo Rosten

People Believe Unbelievable Never Cease Being Things

To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind of food that it is very good but that most people can't eat it. Leo Tolstoy

Work Art Saying Good Food People Men Say Kind Eat Some Most Majority Very Same Incomprehensible

Housekeeping ain't no joke. Louisa May Alcott

Joke Housekeeping

It's the typical mid-life crisis kind of thing, where you just stop and wonder, 'Should I go back to university and get a law degree?' I kind of looked around me and thought, 'What kind of idiot am I that I've just spent the last 10 years writing novels? Financially, I'm pretty much where I was when I was 28.' Lynn Coady

Me You Writing Law Thought Degree Idiot Back Typical Spent Crisis Kind Financially Pretty Looked Around Am Go Years Wonder Get Just Mid-Life Stop Mid-Life Crisis Where Much Should Novels Thing Last University

Flowers are an easy, eloquent expression of love at a time when words can seem clumsy and inadequate. Lynn Coady

Love Time Words Eloquent Easy Seem Inadequate Clumsy Expression Flowers

There are no makeovers in my books. The ugly duckling does not become a beautiful swan. She becomes a confident duck able to take charge of her own life and problems. Maeve Binchy

Life Beautiful Ugly Problems Become Own Books Charge Able Take She Becomes Does Duck Confident Swan Her

I'm a strict, strict agnostic. It's very different from a casual, 'I don't know.' It's that you cannot present as knowledge something that is not knowledge. You can present it as faith, you can present it as belief, but you can't present it as fact. Margaret Atwood

Faith Knowledge You Strict Something Fact Casual Know Very Different Cannot Agnostic Belief Present

I've never bought into any sort of hard and fast, this-box/that-box characterization. People are individuals. Yes, they may be expected to be a particular way. But that doesn't mean they're going to be that way. Margaret Atwood

People Way Characterization Never Bought Individuals Particular Particular Way Sort Yes Expected Any Going May Mean Hard Fast

I was once a graduate student in Victorian literature, and I believe as the Victorian novelists did, that a novel isn't simply a vehicle for private expression, but that it also exists for social examination. I firmly believe this. Margaret Atwood

Believe Once Examination Student Simply Vehicle Firmly Also Private Exists Did Graduate Graduate Student Literature Victorian Social Novel Novelists Expression

Our generation in the west was lucky: we had readymade gateways. We had books, paper, teachers, schools and libraries. But many in the world lack these luxuries. How do you practice without such tryout venues? Margaret Atwood

'1984' is not a wonder tale. Not only could it happen, but it has happened, but under different names. Margaret Atwood

Only Could Tale Names Wonder Different Happen Happened Different Names

Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment. Mario Puzo

Hate Enemies Judgment Never Affects Your

Quotes by Novelists