Quotes by Author | Beyond Motive 4/1760

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Quotes by Author

"It's my own personal unconscious that ultimately creates the novel's aesthetic facade."

"It's my own personal unconscious that ultimately creates the novel's aesthetic facade."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Writing, Unconscious

140

"And the fact that Haiti was occupied for 19 years by the United States, from 1915 to 1934."

"And the fact that Haiti was occupied for 19 years by the United States, from 1915 to 1934."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Fact, States, United, Years

140

"People who want alternative information have to try so hard to find it."

"People who want alternative information have to try so hard to find it."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

People, Information, Want

140

"The art of the cuisine, when fully mastered, is the one human capability of which only good things can be said."

"The art of the cuisine, when fully mastered, is the one human capability of which only good things can be said."

Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss Author

139

"Remember that it is not enough to abstain from lying by word of mouth; for the worst lies are often conveyed by a false look, smile, or act."

"Remember that it is not enough to abstain from lying by word of mouth; for the worst lies are often conveyed by a false look, smile, or act."

Abraham Cahan, Lithuanian Author

Integrity, Act, Lies, Lying, Smile

139

"Also, people are not often aware of the way the United States' policies influence what happens in places like Haiti or El Salvador or Nicaragua. Or in Columbia right now."

"Also, people are not often aware of the way the United States' policies influence what happens in places like Haiti or El Salvador or Nicaragua. Or in Columbia right now."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

People, Influence, Now, Right

139

"On some levels, you can also have this feeling that we are being duped, somehow. And that the world is at play for something you would understand more if it were pure ideology. It is a very strange time and also basic things are being taken away."

"On some levels, you can also have this feeling that we are being duped, somehow. And that the world is at play for something you would understand more if it were pure ideology. It is a very strange time and also basic things are being taken away."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Time, Being, Feeling, Ideology

139

"Everything that is necessary is also easy. You just have to accept it. And the most necessary, the most natural matter on this planet is death."

"Everything that is necessary is also easy. You just have to accept it. And the most necessary, the most natural matter on this planet is death."

Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss Author

138

"Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them."

"Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them."

Eckhart Tolle, German Author

Mindfulness, Awareness, Thoughts, Emotions

138

"As for writing, that's a cruel hard business. Unless you're very lucky it'll break your heart."

"As for writing, that's a cruel hard business. Unless you're very lucky it'll break your heart."

Edward Abbey, American Author

Creativity, Writing, Truth, Observation

137

"He's completely blown through his younger years like his childhood was one big cigarette to smoke carelessly."

"He's completely blown through his younger years like his childhood was one big cigarette to smoke carelessly."

Rebecca McNutt, Canadian Author

Youth, Waste, Time, Neglect

137

"All men are fools, and all men are knights where women are concerned."

"All men are fools, and all men are knights where women are concerned."

George R. R. Martin, American Author

Relationship, Love, Gender, Emotion

137

"To start with, for example this year, 2004, is the bicentennial of Haitian independence."

"To start with, for example this year, 2004, is the bicentennial of Haitian independence."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

History, Example, Independence

137

"Ironically, Latin American countries, in their instability, give writers and intellectuals the hope that they are needed."

"Ironically, Latin American countries, in their instability, give writers and intellectuals the hope that they are needed."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Hope, American, Countries, Intellectuals

136

"I only understand realism."

"I only understand realism."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Movies, Realism

136

"There is, indeed, nothing that so much seduces reason from vigilance, as the thought of passing life with an amiable woman."

"There is, indeed, nothing that so much seduces reason from vigilance, as the thought of passing life with an amiable woman."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Life, Thought, Nothing, Reason

136

"The American Indian was an individualist in religion as in war. He had neither a national army nor an organized church."

"The American Indian was an individualist in religion as in war. He had neither a national army nor an organized church."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Religion, War, Church, American

136

"Teaching is a good distraction, and I am in contact with young people, which is very gratifying."

"Teaching is a good distraction, and I am in contact with young people, which is very gratifying."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

People, Teaching

135

"Our science has become terrible, our research dangerous, our findings deadly. We physicists have to make peace with reality. Reality is not as strong as we are. We will ruin reality."

"Our science has become terrible, our research dangerous, our findings deadly. We physicists have to make peace with reality. Reality is not as strong as we are. We will ruin reality."

Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss Author

Peace, Science, Reality, Research

135

"When you are reading, someone has done a lot of work on your behalf, someone has had ideas and has then written and corrected and improved them so that they can be shared."

"When you are reading, someone has done a lot of work on your behalf, someone has had ideas and has then written and corrected and improved them so that they can be shared."

Margaret Mahy, New Zealander Author

Reading, Work, Ideas, Newzealander

135

"The writer identifies the thought behind every written word."

"The writer identifies the thought behind every written word."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Skill, Writer, Identifies, Thought, Word

135

"What is this world? A mere curl of smoke for the wind to scatter."

"What is this world? A mere curl of smoke for the wind to scatter."

Abraham Cahan, Lithuanian Author

Reflection, Wind, World

134

"At the age of about eight years, if he is a boy, she turns him over to his father for more Spartan training."

"At the age of about eight years, if he is a boy, she turns him over to his father for more Spartan training."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Age, Father, Training, Years

134

"Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."

"Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."

Flannery O'Connor, American Author

Opinion, Writers

134

"That's whatever news topic, whatever political process any country is going through - whenever they are in the news, that's when they exist. If you don't see them they don't exist."

"That's whatever news topic, whatever political process any country is going through - whenever they are in the news, that's when they exist. If you don't see them they don't exist."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Nation, Country, News

133

"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England."

"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England."

Thomas Malory, English Author

Literature, England

133

"Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance. Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time."

"Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance. Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time."

Miguel Angel Ruiz, Mexican Author

Life, Time, People, Dance

133

"It has been wisely observed by the greatest of modern thinkers that mankind has progressed more rapidly in every other respect than in morality."

"It has been wisely observed by the greatest of modern thinkers that mankind has progressed more rapidly in every other respect than in morality."

Lafcadio Hearn, Japanese Author

Morality, Mankind, Respect

132

"Winning is everything."

"Winning is everything."

Youlia Maleeva, Bulgarian Author

132

"The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become."

"The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become."

Mark Twain, American Author

Attitude, Forbidden, Popular

132

"Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new."

"Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new."

Augustine Og Mandino, American Author

Attitude, Questions

132

"Nothing that has been thought can ever be taken back."

"Nothing that has been thought can ever be taken back."

Friedrich Durrenmatt, Swiss Author

Thought, Nothing

131

"You are either a player or a spectator! Players influence the game while spectators watch them to do it. Such is life!"

"You are either a player or a spectator! Players influence the game while spectators watch them to do it. Such is life!"

Israelmore Ayivor, Ghanaian Author

Life, Player, Spectator, Game, Influence

131

"Being a librarian certainly helped me with my writing because it made me even more of a reader, and I was always an enthusiastic reader. Writing and reading seem to me to be different aspects of a single imaginative act."

"Being a librarian certainly helped me with my writing because it made me even more of a reader, and I was always an enthusiastic reader. Writing and reading seem to me to be different aspects of a single imaginative act."

Margaret Mahy, New Zealander Author

Reading, Act, Being, Writing

131

"I give away examples!"

"I give away examples!"

Ljupka Cvetanova, Macedonian Author

Altruism, Giving, Generosity, Life, Action

131

"There is a way of being wrong which is also sometimes necessarily right."

"There is a way of being wrong which is also sometimes necessarily right."

Edward Abbey, American Author

Morality, Right, Wrong, Truth

130

"Self-respect is a question of recognizing that anything worth having has a price."

"Self-respect is a question of recognizing that anything worth having has a price."

Joan Didion, American Author

Question, Self, Worth

130

"On some level, now, we are joining the larger world and realizing that we are connected with people in these very scary ways, sometimes. What happened recently in Spain affects us here and brings questions up. It is too bad that people have to be shaken up in that way."

"On some level, now, we are joining the larger world and realizing that we are connected with people in these very scary ways, sometimes. What happened recently in Spain affects us here and brings questions up. It is too bad that people have to be shaken up in that way."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

People, Now, Questions, Spain

130

"People aren't really aware of what's happening in other places."

"People aren't really aware of what's happening in other places."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

130

"The logical man must either deny all miracles or none, and our American Indian myths and hero stories are perhaps, in themselves, quite as credible as those of the Hebrews of old."

"The logical man must either deny all miracles or none, and our American Indian myths and hero stories are perhaps, in themselves, quite as credible as those of the Hebrews of old."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Miracles, American, Man, Myths

129

"During my life I have seen, known, and lost too much to be the prey of vain dread; and, as for the hope of immortality, I am as weary of that as I am of gods and kings. For my own sake only I write this; and herein I differ from all other writers, past and to come."

"During my life I have seen, known, and lost too much to be the prey of vain dread; and, as for the hope of immortality, I am as weary of that as I am of gods and kings. For my own sake only I write this; and herein I differ from all other writers, past and to come."

Mika Waltari, Finnish Author

Life, Gods, Hope, Immortality

128

"As a rule, one should never place form over content."

"As a rule, one should never place form over content."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

128

"I think there's a tremendous split between people who've been through a war and people who haven't."

"I think there's a tremendous split between people who've been through a war and people who haven't."

Antonia Fraser, British Author

128

"The world is a stage where people come to play their own part and leave, your contribution to making the world a much better place matters."

"The world is a stage where people come to play their own part and leave, your contribution to making the world a much better place matters."

Abdulazeez Henry Musa, Nigerian Author

Purpose, Contribution, Impact, Meaning

128

"Religion, culture, education are all things that sound wonderful in theory. In practice, however, they are not so wonderful."

"Religion, culture, education are all things that sound wonderful in theory. In practice, however, they are not so wonderful."

Marty Rubin, American Author

Society, Religion, Culture, Education, Theory

128

"The English language has a deceptive air of simplicity; so have some little frocks; but they are both not the kind of thing you can run up in half an hour with a machine."

"The English language has a deceptive air of simplicity; so have some little frocks; but they are both not the kind of thing you can run up in half an hour with a machine."

Dorothy L. Sayers, British Author

Language, English, Machine, Simplicity

126

"Which one is the truth, sir?Which period do you mean, son?"

"Which one is the truth, sir?Which period do you mean, son?"

Toba Beta, Indonesian Author

Inquiry, Truth, Time, Perception, Today

126

"My point is: maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it.But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know."

"My point is: maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through your fingers. So much time you can waste it.But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know."

Lauren Oliver, American Author

Time, Life, Waiting, Hope

126

"The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another."

"The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill another."

George Eliot, British Author

Power, Duty, Reward

125

"In life, when one gets to the point of a deeper sense of understanding about himself and his purpose, he least explains himself much to people who fail to understand him and his purpose. That must not be interpreted as neither pride nor an uncaring attitude but a great respect for purposefulness."

"In life, when one gets to the point of a deeper sense of understanding about himself and his purpose, he least explains himself much to people who fail to understand him and his purpose. That must not be interpreted as neither pride nor an uncaring attitude but a great respect for purposefulness."

Ernest Agyemang Yeboah, Ghanaian Author

Purpose, Understanding, Explanation, Respect

124

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