9375 quotes by novelists for you to enjoy

We have to give feminism a shot. Out of sheer self preservation, we have to stand aside and let women run the show. Irvine Welsh

Women Feminism Out Run Give Self Sheer Self-Preservation Aside Shot Stand Show Preservation

We know what a person thinks not when he tells us what he thinks, but by his actions. Isaac Bashevis Singer

Tells He Know His Person Us Actions Thinks

Doubt is part of all religion. All the religious thinkers were doubters. Isaac Bashevis Singer

Religion Doubt Religious Part Were Thinkers

In general, literature is a natural adversary of totalitarianism. Tyrannical governments all view literature in the same way: as their enemy. I lived for a long time in a totalitarian state, and I know firsthand that horror. Ismail Kadare

People without firmness of character love to make up a fate for themselves; that relieves them of the necessity of having their own will and of taking responsibility for themselves. Ivan Turgenev

Love Character People Fate Brainy Will Responsibility Own Having Taking Firmness Make Make Up Without Up Them Themselves Necessity

I don't exactly know what I mean by that, but I mean it. J. D. Salinger

Exactly Know Mean

Myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth (or error), but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary 'real' world. J. R. R. Tolkien

Truth Art World Myth Reflect Moral Must Solution Religious Primary Contain Known Real Error Form Real World Explicit Elements

They say it is the first step that costs the effort. I do not find it so. I am sure I could write unlimited 'first chapters'. I have indeed written many. J. R. R. Tolkien

First Unlimited Chapters Indeed Say Find Costs Could Write Step Written First Step Sure Am Effort Many They Say

The original 'Hobbit' was never intended to have a sequel - Bilbo 'remained very happy to the end of his days and those were extraordinarily long': a sentence I find an almost insuperable obstacle to a satisfactory link. J. R. R. Tolkien

Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favourite haunt. J. R. R. Tolkien

Love Today Good Peace People Numerous Earth Ancient Favourite Haunt More Countryside Very Than Quiet Peace And Quiet

I got all my boyhood in vanilla winter waves around the kitchen stove. Jack Kerouac

Winter Stove Waves Vanilla Kitchen Around Got Boyhood

It's hard to write haiku. I write long, silly Indian poems. Jack Kerouac

Long Indian Silly Poems Write Hard

I think life is difficult and that's that. I am not at all - absolutely not at all - interested in the pursuit of happiness. I am not interested in the pursuit of positivity. I am interested in pursuing a truth, and the truth often seems to be not happiness but its opposite. Jamaica Kincaid

Happiness Life Truth Difficult Think Positivity Seems Pursuing Absolutely Pursuit Pursuit Of Happiness Absolutely Not Am Opposite Often Not Interested Interested

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. James A. Michener

Love Writing Emotions Words Tangle Human Human Emotions Swing

I missed a whole cycle of childhood, but I've never used it as a device for self-pity. James A. Michener

Never Missed Device Self-Pity Childhood Cycle Used Whole

The mere attempt to examine my own confusion would consume volumes. James Agee

Confusion Own Would Examine My Own Consume Attempt Volumes Mere

Education is indoctrination if you're white - subjugation if you're black. James Baldwin

Education You Black White Indoctrination Subjugation

Quotes by Novelists