Quotes by Author | Beyond Motive 2/1760

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Quotes by Author

"Contrary to what Kafka does, I always like to refer all of my fictions to the level of reality, He, on the other hand, leaves them at an imaginary level."

"Contrary to what Kafka does, I always like to refer all of my fictions to the level of reality, He, on the other hand, leaves them at an imaginary level."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

187

"Could it think, the heart would stop beating."

"Could it think, the heart would stop beating."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

187

"Factions are a sign of illness in a party."

"Factions are a sign of illness in a party."

Ernest Mandel, Belgian Author

Unity, Illness, Party

185

"Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend."

"Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend."

David Irving, British Author

Friendship, Friend, Israel, State, Today

185

"Life is much shorter than I imagined it to be."

"Life is much shorter than I imagined it to be."

Abraham Cahan, Lithuanian Author

184

"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."

"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."

Aesop, Greek Author

Contentment, Peace, Anxiety

184

"There is a frustration too, that at moments when there's not a coup, when there are not people in the streets, that the country disappears from people's consciousness."

"There is a frustration too, that at moments when there's not a coup, when there are not people in the streets, that the country disappears from people's consciousness."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

People, Consciousness, Country, Frustration

184

"No one who is at all acquainted with the Indian in his home can deny that we are a polite people."

"No one who is at all acquainted with the Indian in his home can deny that we are a polite people."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

183

"I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer."

"I have an editor in my head, that's why I can't read Harry Potter, because Rowling is such a lousy writer."

Colleen McCullough, Australian Author

Writing, Writer

181

"Time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have retained of them."

"Time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have retained of them."

Marcel Proust, French Author

179

"Other nations use 'force'; we Britons alone use 'Might'."

"Other nations use 'force'; we Britons alone use 'Might'."

Evelyn Waugh, English Author

Nation, Nations

179

"Wise is he who enjoys the show offered by the world."

"Wise is he who enjoys the show offered by the world."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

178

"I started writing movie scripts. They excited me a lot, but I didn't like them when they were finished because they were simple copies of the films I saw in childhood."

"I started writing movie scripts. They excited me a lot, but I didn't like them when they were finished because they were simple copies of the films I saw in childhood."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Family, Childhood, Writing

177

"The family was not only the social unit, but also the unit of government."

"The family was not only the social unit, but also the unit of government."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Family, Government

177

"Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left."

"Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left."

Victor Hugo, French Author

Being, Carnival

177

"The translator's task is to create, in his or her own language, the same tensions appearing in the original. That's hard!"

"The translator's task is to create, in his or her own language, the same tensions appearing in the original. That's hard!"

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

176

"Western civilization, unfortunately, does not link knowledge and morality but rather, it connects knowledge and power and makes them equivalent."

"Western civilization, unfortunately, does not link knowledge and morality but rather, it connects knowledge and power and makes them equivalent."

Vine Deloria, Jr., Sioux Author

Power, Morality, Civilization, Knowledge

175

"Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made."

"Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made."

Lu Hsun, Chinese Author

Men, Hope, Earth, Road

174

"You have all these people in the city and everything has become centralized. If you live outside the city and you need a birth certificate or some official paper from the government, you have to travel to the city."

"You have all these people in the city and everything has become centralized. If you live outside the city and you need a birth certificate or some official paper from the government, you have to travel to the city."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Travel, Government, People

174

"More than this, even in those white men who professed religion we found much inconsistency of conduct. They spoke much of spiritual things, while seeking only the material."

"More than this, even in those white men who professed religion we found much inconsistency of conduct. They spoke much of spiritual things, while seeking only the material."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Man, Men, Religion, Inconsistency, Spiritual

174

"For us Africans, literature must serve a purpose: to expose, embarrass, and fight corruption and authoritarianism. It is understandable why the African artist is utilitarian."

"For us Africans, literature must serve a purpose: to expose, embarrass, and fight corruption and authoritarianism. It is understandable why the African artist is utilitarian."

Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian Author

Corruption, African, Artist, Fight

173

"I'm a writer first and a woman after."

"I'm a writer first and a woman after."

Katherine Mansfield, New Zealander Author

Identity, First, Woman, Writer, Newzealander

172

"I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old."

"I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old."

A. E. van Vogt, Canadian Author

Creativity, Science, Fiction, First, Old

171

"Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

"Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

Lewis Carroll, English Author

171

"Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise."

"Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Truth, Knowledge, Difference, Falsehood

170

"The elements and majestic forces in nature, Lightning, Wind, Water, Fire, and Frost, were regarded with awe as spiritual powers, but always secondary and intermediate in character."

"The elements and majestic forces in nature, Lightning, Wind, Water, Fire, and Frost, were regarded with awe as spiritual powers, but always secondary and intermediate in character."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Nature, Character, Fire, Spiritual

169

"The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."

"The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."

Mark Twain, American Author

Inspirational, Books, Man

169

"If you were called to gallop like the horse, never end up hopping like the frog. Rise up for greatness."

"If you were called to gallop like the horse, never end up hopping like the frog. Rise up for greatness."

Israelmore Ayivor, Ghanaian Author

Inspirational, Ambition, Greatness, Challenge, Rise

168

"One performs a very different act when reading a movie and when reading a novel. Your attention behaves differently."

"One performs a very different act when reading a movie and when reading a novel. Your attention behaves differently."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Reading, Act, Attention

168

"Every writer has to find their own way into writing."

"Every writer has to find their own way into writing."

Margaret Mahy, New Zealander Author

Creativity, Writer, Writing, Newzealander

167

"Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

"Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

E. L. Doctorow, American Author

Driving, Night, Writing

167

"I, personally, have found reading a continual support to writing."

"I, personally, have found reading a continual support to writing."

Margaret Mahy, New Zealander Author

Reading, Support, Writing, Newzealander

166

"This happiness consisted of nothing else but the harmony of the few things around me with my own existence, a feeling of contentment and well-being that needed no changes and no intensification."

"This happiness consisted of nothing else but the harmony of the few things around me with my own existence, a feeling of contentment and well-being that needed no changes and no intensification."

Herman Hesse, German Author

Happiness, Contentment, Existence, Feeling

166

"I don't think humor is forced upon my universe; it's a part of it."

"I don't think humor is forced upon my universe; it's a part of it."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Humor, Universe

165

"Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit."

"Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit."

Eli Khamarov, American Author

Crime, Poverty, Punishment

165

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."

Aesop, Greek Author

Justice, Office, Public

164

"For, usually and fitly, the presence of an introduction is held to imply that there is something of consequence and importance to be introduced."

"For, usually and fitly, the presence of an introduction is held to imply that there is something of consequence and importance to be introduced."

Arthur Machen, Welsh Author

164

"No news is good news."

"No news is good news."

Ludovic Halevy, French Author

164

"We all agree on the necessity of compromise. We just can't agree on when it's necessary to compromise."

"We all agree on the necessity of compromise. We just can't agree on when it's necessary to compromise."

Larry Wall, Canadian Author

Compromise, Necessity

163

"The writer needs to react to his or her own internal universe, to his or her own point of view. If he or she doesn't have a personal point of view, it's impossible to be a creator."

"The writer needs to react to his or her own internal universe, to his or her own point of view. If he or she doesn't have a personal point of view, it's impossible to be a creator."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Needs, Universe, Writer

163

"I was able to work out all sorts of attitudes to style and event and character, all of which affected the way I came to think about my own writing. I believe that all good writers are original."

"I was able to work out all sorts of attitudes to style and event and character, all of which affected the way I came to think about my own writing. I believe that all good writers are original."

Margaret Mahy, New Zealander Author

Work, Character, Style, Writers

163

"In fact that is the struggle that most Americans - As rich as this country is, most Americans are very limited in their interaction with the world, unless the world comes to us in a very shocking way."

"In fact that is the struggle that most Americans - As rich as this country is, most Americans are very limited in their interaction with the world, unless the world comes to us in a very shocking way."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Awareness, Americans, Country, Fact, Struggle

163

"If it be true that our people represent a high percentage of mental vigor, the distinction is probably due, in some measure, to the extremely important part which Talmud studies have played in the spiritual life of the race."

"If it be true that our people represent a high percentage of mental vigor, the distinction is probably due, in some measure, to the extremely important part which Talmud studies have played in the spiritual life of the race."

Abraham Cahan, Lithuanian Author

Education, Life, People, Measure, Race

163

"Forgiveness is created by the restitution of the abuser, of the wrongdoer. It is not something to be squeeeeeezed out of the victim in a further act of conscience-corrupting abuse."

"Forgiveness is created by the restitution of the abuser, of the wrongdoer. It is not something to be squeeeeeezed out of the victim in a further act of conscience-corrupting abuse."

Stefan Molyneux, Canadian Author

Ethics, Forgiveness, Justice, Morality

163

"In Haiti you had the Duvaliers for 29 years and they were very well supported by the United States."

"In Haiti you had the Duvaliers for 29 years and they were very well supported by the United States."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Politics, States, United, Years

162

"Don't go in for the "yellowish" if what you need is "yellow". The attitude called precision is the quality that remarks the accuracy of your demand. Never settle for the less; Go for the exact thing!"

"Don't go in for the "yellowish" if what you need is "yellow". The attitude called precision is the quality that remarks the accuracy of your demand. Never settle for the less; Go for the exact thing!"

Israelmore Ayivor, Ghanaian Author

Focus, Precision, Accuracy, Demand, Success

162

"It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure on the world."

"It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure on the world."

John Steinbeck, American Author

Death, Thought, Action, Dying

162

"To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness."

"To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness."

Eckhart Tolle, German Author

Acceptance, Complaining, Power, Change

162

"Society can exist only on the basis that there is some amount of polished lying and that no one says exactly what he thinks."

"Society can exist only on the basis that there is some amount of polished lying and that no one says exactly what he thinks."

Lin Yutang, Chinese Author

162

"No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in with it."

"No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in with it."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

Creativity, Idea, Acceptance, Gain, Stupidity

161

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