Taylor Caldwell Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Taylor Caldwell, the American author, captivated readers with her sweeping historical sagas and compelling storytelling. With bestsellers such as "Captains and the Kings" and "Dear and Glorious Physician," Caldwell transported readers to different eras and locales, bringing historical figures and events to life with vivid detail and richly drawn characters. Her novels continue to entertain and inspire readers, offering timeless tales of love, ambition, and redemption.

"I have always had a horror and detestation of poverty."

"I have always had a horror and detestation of poverty."

Horror, Poverty

4

"My dreams are all follies."

"My dreams are all follies."

2

"The very idea of carrying my memory into eternity devastated me, and I took refuge in atheism."

"The very idea of carrying my memory into eternity devastated me, and I took refuge in atheism."

Creativity, Idea, Atheism, Eternity, Memory

1

"I have thought that I have seen ghosts on many occasions."

"I have thought that I have seen ghosts on many occasions."

2

"My literary success meant nothing to me."

"My literary success meant nothing to me."

Success, Literary, Nothing

3

"I have had four happy days in my life, and three of them turned out to be illusions."

"I have had four happy days in my life, and three of them turned out to be illusions."

2

"Though I am a Catholic, a professing one, I have serious doubts about the survival of the human personality after death."

"Though I am a Catholic, a professing one, I have serious doubts about the survival of the human personality after death."

Death, Survival, Personality

4

"At 8, I made a pact with God."

"At 8, I made a pact with God."

1

"I will ge glad to have done with this life forever."

"I will ge glad to have done with this life forever."

2

"The feeble soul merely whines and complains."

"The feeble soul merely whines and complains."

2

"My life has been tragic and disastrous since birth."

"My life has been tragic and disastrous since birth."

7

"I will know him by his eyes."

"I will know him by his eyes."

Perception, Eyes, Will

3

"If there is a God, then he was particularly harsh to me."

"If there is a God, then he was particularly harsh to me."

5

"I'm not that interested in people."

"I'm not that interested in people."

4

"I've always enjoyed poor health."

"I've always enjoyed poor health."

2

"My childhood was appalling."

"My childhood was appalling."

Family, Childhood

3

"No woman has ever been an authentic genius of the stature of men, but that does not enrage me."

"No woman has ever been an authentic genius of the stature of men, but that does not enrage me."

Man, Men, Genius, Woman

3

"If genetic memory or racial memory persists, is it possible that individual memory also exists from previous lives?"

"If genetic memory or racial memory persists, is it possible that individual memory also exists from previous lives?"

2

"It is human nature to instinctively rebel at obscurity or ordinariness."

"It is human nature to instinctively rebel at obscurity or ordinariness."

Nature, Humannature, Obscurity

2

"It is a waste of money to help those who show no desire to help themselves."

"It is a waste of money to help those who show no desire to help themselves."

Money, Desire, Help, Waste

2

"Giving a phenomenon a label does not explain it."

"Giving a phenomenon a label does not explain it."

8

"I have been the victim of heartless malice."

"I have been the victim of heartless malice."

Misfortune, Malice

2

"I have written two medical novels. I have never studied medicine, never seen an operation."

"I have written two medical novels. I have never studied medicine, never seen an operation."

Medical, Medicine

2

"Even the most malignant gods would not continue to inflict life upon humanity, time without end."

"Even the most malignant gods would not continue to inflict life upon humanity, time without end."

Life, Time, Gods, End

3

"My relatives used to laugh when I talked of being a writer."

"My relatives used to laugh when I talked of being a writer."

Being, Relatives, Writer

2

"People are scared to death of dying. I am the opposite."

"People are scared to death of dying. I am the opposite."

Death, People, Dying

3

"Learning should be a joy and full of excitement. It is life's greatest adventure; it is an illustrated excursion into the minds of the noble and the learned."

"Learning should be a joy and full of excitement. It is life's greatest adventure; it is an illustrated excursion into the minds of the noble and the learned."

Life, Adventure, Excitement, Joy

4

"Those who claim to have had happy lives seem to be silly fools."

"Those who claim to have had happy lives seem to be silly fools."

Fool, Fools, Silly

1

"Obscurity can be a fire of ambition in those who have stalwart souls."

"Obscurity can be a fire of ambition in those who have stalwart souls."

Ambition, Fire, Obscurity

1

"Money? I lost all taste for it."

"Money? I lost all taste for it."

2

"I like animals because they are not consciously cruel and don't betray each other."

"I like animals because they are not consciously cruel and don't betray each other."

2

"I wanted to acquire an education, work extremely hard and never deviate from my goal, to make it."

"I wanted to acquire an education, work extremely hard and never deviate from my goal, to make it."

Work, Education, Goal

1

"Women's Lib? I couldn't stand it."

"Women's Lib? I couldn't stand it."

1

"The world is a penal institution."

"The world is a penal institution."

2

"Character, I am sure, lies in the genes."

"Character, I am sure, lies in the genes."

Character, Lies

2

"I am deeply convinced that happiness does not exist in this world."

"I am deeply convinced that happiness does not exist in this world."

Happiness, World

3

"The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall."

"The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign hands should be curtailed, lest Rome fall."

Governance, Arrogance, Rome

3

"I was never afraid of anything in the world except the dentist."

"I was never afraid of anything in the world except the dentist."

2

"I never deviated from my grim determination to someday have all the money I needed and wanted."

"I never deviated from my grim determination to someday have all the money I needed and wanted."

Money, Determination

6

"I am not convinced that there is such a thing as a soul."

"I am not convinced that there is such a thing as a soul."

4

"In sleep, you are safe from the revolting mechanics of living and being a prey to outrageous fortune."

"In sleep, you are safe from the revolting mechanics of living and being a prey to outrageous fortune."

Being, Fortune, Living, Sleep

2

"I often reread books I have written."

"I often reread books I have written."

3

"I have been constantly betrayed and deceived all my life."

"I have been constantly betrayed and deceived all my life."

3

"The stalwart soul has the will to live and is eager for the race."

"The stalwart soul has the will to live and is eager for the race."

Soul, Race, Will

3

bottom of page