Quotes by British Authors | Beyond Motive 102/399

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Quotes by British Authors

"I knew I'd conquered America when Mike Tyson told me I was one mean lady."

"I knew I'd conquered America when Mike Tyson told me I was one mean lady."

Anne Robinson, British Celebrity

38

"Envy suggests inferiority."

"Envy suggests inferiority."

Wayne Gerard Trotman, British Author

Envy, Inferiority, Comparison, Ego

38

"I think that words are often extraneous to what I do."

"I think that words are often extraneous to what I do."

Howard Hodgkin, British Artist

38

"When you make a lot of money for a record company, they don't want you to evolve. Growing older, you naturally do."

"When you make a lot of money for a record company, they don't want you to evolve. Growing older, you naturally do."

Alison Moyet, British Musician

Money, Company, Want

38

"I never examined what I did in any great detail because I thought it would spoil things. I never read the scripts at all carefully, and never wanted to know what was going on, because I felt that being a benevolent alien that's the way it should be."

"I never examined what I did in any great detail because I thought it would spoil things. I never read the scripts at all carefully, and never wanted to know what was going on, because I felt that being a benevolent alien that's the way it should be."

Tom Baker, British Actor

Thought, Being, Detail

38

"So that's when I saw the DNA model for the first time, in the Cavendish, and that's when I saw that this was it. And in a flash you just knew that this was very fundamental."

"So that's when I saw the DNA model for the first time, in the Cavendish, and that's when I saw that this was it. And in a flash you just knew that this was very fundamental."

Sydney Brenner, British Scientist

38

"Hope is generally a wrong guide, though it is very good company by the way."

"Hope is generally a wrong guide, though it is very good company by the way."

Edward F. Halifax, British Statesman

Hope, Company, Wrong

38

"Enclave life becomes very tense, Even when they do elect a leader, the factions remain, with the threat of splitting off."

"Enclave life becomes very tense, Even when they do elect a leader, the factions remain, with the threat of splitting off."

Mary Douglas, British Scientist

38

"I never invite idiots to my house."

"I never invite idiots to my house."

Elizabeth Montagu, British Writer

Society, Idiots

38

"To stand up on a stage alone with an acoustic guitar requires bravery bordering on heroism. Bordering on insanity."

"To stand up on a stage alone with an acoustic guitar requires bravery bordering on heroism. Bordering on insanity."

Richard Thompson, British Musician

Bravery, Guitar, Heroism, Insanity

38

"I don't need to manufacture trauma in my life to be creative. I have a big enough reservoir of sadness or emotional trauma to last me."

"I don't need to manufacture trauma in my life to be creative. I have a big enough reservoir of sadness or emotional trauma to last me."

Sting, British Musician

38

"There is nothing that people bear more impatiently, or forgive less, than contempt: and an injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult."

"There is nothing that people bear more impatiently, or forgive less, than contempt: and an injury is much sooner forgotten than an insult."

Lord Chesterfield, British Statesman

People, Injury, Insult, Nothing

38

"Racing a thoroughbred grand prix car in front of a home crowd will be a surreal and mighty experience."

"Racing a thoroughbred grand prix car in front of a home crowd will be a surreal and mighty experience."

Nigel Mansell, British Athlete

Car, Experience, Home, Racing

38

"New technology is useful, but it's inefficient and ugly; it knows it'll be obsolete by lunchtime tomorrow, so it has no incentive to be anything else."

"New technology is useful, but it's inefficient and ugly; it knows it'll be obsolete by lunchtime tomorrow, so it has no incentive to be anything else."

Tom Holt, British Novelist

Technology, Tomorrow, Ugly

38

"Ignorance and inconsideration are the two great causes of the ruin of mankind."

"Ignorance and inconsideration are the two great causes of the ruin of mankind."

John Tillotson, British Theologian

Cause, Causes, Ignorance, Mankind, Ruin

38

"I think that both men, Bush and Blair, will be damned in history. Both men have made their respective countries the two most hated countries in the world."

"I think that both men, Bush and Blair, will be damned in history. Both men have made their respective countries the two most hated countries in the world."

George Galloway, British Politician

Man, Men, History, Countries, Will

38

"I would really like to spend more time with the family. Every time I go abroad I miss them all dreadfully."

"I would really like to spend more time with the family. Every time I go abroad I miss them all dreadfully."

Jilly Cooper, British Author

38

"The first jazz pianist I heard was Thelonious Monk. My father was listening to an album of his called 'Monk's Dream' almost every day from the time I was born."

"The first jazz pianist I heard was Thelonious Monk. My father was listening to an album of his called 'Monk's Dream' almost every day from the time I was born."

Benny Green, British Musician

Time, Father, Dream, Day

38

"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool."

"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool."

Lord Chesterfield, British Statesman

Wisdom, Art, Fool

38

"The thing about Duran... that gives you the ability to bring all that opportunity back into your life."

"The thing about Duran... that gives you the ability to bring all that opportunity back into your life."

Andy Taylor, British Musician

Life, Opportunity, Ability

38

"There is only one principle of war and that's this. Hit the other fellow, as quickly as you can, as hard as you can, where it hurts him most, when he ain't lookin'."

"There is only one principle of war and that's this. Hit the other fellow, as quickly as you can, as hard as you can, where it hurts him most, when he ain't lookin'."

William J. Slim, British General

38

"The films that I do tend to polarise people's views."

"The films that I do tend to polarise people's views."

Alan Parker, British Director

38

"Most of nature is inherently chaotic. It's not rigidly determined in the old sense. It's not rigidly predictable."

"Most of nature is inherently chaotic. It's not rigidly determined in the old sense. It's not rigidly predictable."

Rupert Sheldrake, British Scientist

Nature, Old, Sense

38

"What! Would I be turned back from doing a thing that I had determined to do, and that I knew to be right, by the airs and interference of such a person, or any person I may say? No, I have no idea of being so easily persuaded. When I have made up my mind, I have made it."

"What! Would I be turned back from doing a thing that I had determined to do, and that I knew to be right, by the airs and interference of such a person, or any person I may say? No, I have no idea of being so easily persuaded. When I have made up my mind, I have made it."

Jane Austen, British Writer

Resolve, Determination, Confidence, Pride

38

"I may as well say it, I have been married three times."

"I may as well say it, I have been married three times."

C. L. R. James, British Journalist

38

"I've spent my life pursing excellence as an artist, which is what I always wanted to do anyhow."

"I've spent my life pursing excellence as an artist, which is what I always wanted to do anyhow."

Claire Bloom, British Actress

Life, Artist, Excellence

38

"My page is junk, because I hate putting anything to do with me on the site, it just feels wrong."

"My page is junk, because I hate putting anything to do with me on the site, it just feels wrong."

Colin Greenwood, British Musician

38

"The sky was like ebony and the only illumination was the harsh white light of the central streetlamp, which cast shadows so hard it seemed you might cut yourself on them."

"The sky was like ebony and the only illumination was the harsh white light of the central streetlamp, which cast shadows so hard it seemed you might cut yourself on them."

Jasper Fforde, British Novelist

Atmosphere, Darkness, Imagery, Observation

38

"A collection makes its own demands. Many artists have been collectors. I think of it rather as an illness. I felt it was using up too much energy."

"A collection makes its own demands. Many artists have been collectors. I think of it rather as an illness. I felt it was using up too much energy."

Howard Hodgkin, British Artist

Art, Artists, Energy, Illness

38

"It is a sort of great Victorian truth that actually, trying to do the right thing is pretty good for you and pretty good for business as well, by and large."

"It is a sort of great Victorian truth that actually, trying to do the right thing is pretty good for you and pretty good for business as well, by and large."

Chris Patten, British Politician

Business, Truth, Pretty, Right

38

"You can't always go by the book, even in comedy."

"You can't always go by the book, even in comedy."

Alan Bates, British Actor

38

"I'm not a rock singer and I don't want to be a rock singer. I'm not interested. It doesn't seem to get across."

"I'm not a rock singer and I don't want to be a rock singer. I'm not interested. It doesn't seem to get across."

Van Morrison, British Musician

38

"I am not a performer but occasionally I deliberately work in a public context. Some sculptures need the movement of people around them to work."

"I am not a performer but occasionally I deliberately work in a public context. Some sculptures need the movement of people around them to work."

Andy Goldsworthy, British Artist

Work, People, Public

38

"One of the surest evidences of friendship that one individual can display to another is telling him gently of a fault. If any other can excel it, it is listening to such a disclosure with gratitude, and amending the error."

"One of the surest evidences of friendship that one individual can display to another is telling him gently of a fault. If any other can excel it, it is listening to such a disclosure with gratitude, and amending the error."

Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, British Novelist

Friendship, Gratitude, Error, Fault

38

"I've returned to being an amateur without any ties or strings attached, which gives me a freedom I never had before."

"I've returned to being an amateur without any ties or strings attached, which gives me a freedom I never had before."

Cat Stevens, British Musician

38

"Living most of the time in a world created mostly in one's head, does not make for an easy passage in the real world."

"Living most of the time in a world created mostly in one's head, does not make for an easy passage in the real world."

Sydney Brenner, British Scientist

Time, Living, World

38

"I had to do the book because there was an unauthorised biography which didn't tell it like it was."

"I had to do the book because there was an unauthorised biography which didn't tell it like it was."

Cilla Black, British Musician

38

"When you stand up acoustic in front of an audience, you really are a man without any clothes on. And that can be fun - it depends how much of an exhibitionist you are, I suppose. I quite enjoy it."

"When you stand up acoustic in front of an audience, you really are a man without any clothes on. And that can be fun - it depends how much of an exhibitionist you are, I suppose. I quite enjoy it."

Richard Thompson, British Musician

Clothes, Fun, Man

38

"Integrity, undivided loyalty, love. The pure in heart have a special blessing. Because there is no limit to how good life can become."

"Integrity, undivided loyalty, love. The pure in heart have a special blessing. Because there is no limit to how good life can become."

Angie karan, British Author

Purity, Integrity, Loyalty, Love

38

"It's still the same job, the same anxieties, but it did feel a lot different, that kind of budget, that schedule, and frankly, the slowness of it all, and also having a lot of other units working."

"It's still the same job, the same anxieties, but it did feel a lot different, that kind of budget, that schedule, and frankly, the slowness of it all, and also having a lot of other units working."

Michael Apted, British Director

38

"Parents should monitor their behavior, know who their friends are, and keep track of what they do."

"Parents should monitor their behavior, know who their friends are, and keep track of what they do."

John Walters, British Musician

Behavior, Friends, Parents

38

"Archimedes will be remembered when Aeschylus is forgotten, because languages die and mathematical ideas do not."

"Archimedes will be remembered when Aeschylus is forgotten, because languages die and mathematical ideas do not."

G. H. Hardy, British Mathematician

38

"Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order and increasing by staying in port; but know he finds, I fancy, if Emperors hear the truth, that his fleet suffers more in a night than ours in one year."

"Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order and increasing by staying in port; but know he finds, I fancy, if Emperors hear the truth, that his fleet suffers more in a night than ours in one year."

Horatio Nelson, British Soldier

Truth, Fancy, Night, Order

38

"Some of these things are true and some of them lies. But they are all good stories."

"Some of these things are true and some of them lies. But they are all good stories."

Hilary Mantel, British Novelist

Story, Truth, Lies, Perception

38

"The fool within himself is the object of pity, until he is flattered."

"The fool within himself is the object of pity, until he is flattered."

Richard Steele, British Dramatist

38

"Give preference to things of the greatest lasting value."

"Give preference to things of the greatest lasting value."

Steven Redhead, British Author

Priorities, Values, Preference, Priority, Wisdom

38

"At the end of the day, humans are social animals and we are at our best when we get to do things with others who appreciate and enjoy what we enjoy. It's what keeps us human."

"At the end of the day, humans are social animals and we are at our best when we get to do things with others who appreciate and enjoy what we enjoy. It's what keeps us human."

Simon Sinek, British Author

Life, Social Connection, Humanity, Shared Experience

38

"A rise in wages, from an alteration in the value of money, produces a general effect on price, and for that reason it produces no real effect whatever on profits."

"A rise in wages, from an alteration in the value of money, produces a general effect on price, and for that reason it produces no real effect whatever on profits."

David Ricardo, British Economist

Money, Effect, Reason, Value

38

"I wonder sometimes if manufacturers of foolproof items keep a fool or two on their payroll to test things."

"I wonder sometimes if manufacturers of foolproof items keep a fool or two on their payroll to test things."

Alan Coren, British Writer

38

"The course of true love rarely runs smooth."

"The course of true love rarely runs smooth."

Jasper Fforde, British Novelist

Romance, Love, Reality, Relationship, Truth

38

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