Quotes by Writer | Beyond Motive 2/324

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Quotes by Writer

"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."

"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."

Milan Kundera, Czechoslovakian Writer

Ambition, Poor, Sense

40

"My identity is linked to my grandmother, who's pure Filipino, as pure as you can probably get. And that shaped my imagination. So that's how I identify."

"My identity is linked to my grandmother, who's pure Filipino, as pure as you can probably get. And that shaped my imagination. So that's how I identify."

Jessica Hagedorn, Filipino Writer

Imagination, Identity

40

"The period that I could consider the most important in my literary work came about beginning with the Revolution, and in a certain way, developed as a consequence of the Revolution. But it was also a result of the counterrevolutionary coup of November 1975."

"The period that I could consider the most important in my literary work came about beginning with the Revolution, and in a certain way, developed as a consequence of the Revolution. But it was also a result of the counterrevolutionary coup of November 1975."

Jose Saramago, Portuguese Writer

Work, Beginning, Revolution, Literary

40

"Women are oppressed in the east, in the west, in the south, in the north. Women are oppressed inside, outside home, a woman is oppressed in religion, she is oppressed outside religion."

"Women are oppressed in the east, in the west, in the south, in the north. Women are oppressed inside, outside home, a woman is oppressed in religion, she is oppressed outside religion."

Taslima Nasrin, Bangladeshi Writer

Religion, Women, Home, Woman

40

"I can promise you that women working together - linked, informed and educated - can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet."

"I can promise you that women working together - linked, informed and educated - can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet."

Isabel Allende, Chilean Writer

Peace, Women, Promise, Prosperity

40

"I think for a lot of so-called post-colonial peoples, there's a feeling of not being quite legitimate, of not being pure enough."

"I think for a lot of so-called post-colonial peoples, there's a feeling of not being quite legitimate, of not being pure enough."

Jessica Hagedorn, Filipino Writer

Being, Feeling, Post

40

"Every time I flicked channels, there I was, talking. I was talking too much and writing too little. So Naomi and I went to Hawaii. The phone was cut off and we lost touch. This gave me the chance to have a good think about my life."

"Every time I flicked channels, there I was, talking. I was talking too much and writing too little. So Naomi and I went to Hawaii. The phone was cut off and we lost touch. This gave me the chance to have a good think about my life."

Joe Eszterhas, Hungarian Writer

Life, Time, Chance, Talking

39

"The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness."

"The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness."

Nikos Kazantzakis, Greek Writer

Darkness, Eyes, Meaning

39

"I didn't want the headache of having a publisher reviewing everything I wrote in advance."

"I didn't want the headache of having a publisher reviewing everything I wrote in advance."

Mark Millar, Scottish Writer

38

"What kind of world is this that can send machines to Mars and does nothing to stop the killing of a human being?"

"What kind of world is this that can send machines to Mars and does nothing to stop the killing of a human being?"

Jose Saramago, Portuguese Writer

Being, Killing, Machines, Nothing

38

"Night was running ahead of itself."

"Night was running ahead of itself."

Jorge Amado, Brazilian Writer

38

"I AM what is called a Feminist. Thirty years ago I left a monastery and began a sane human existence. Within two or three years, I find, I was defending the rights of women."

"I AM what is called a Feminist. Thirty years ago I left a monastery and began a sane human existence. Within two or three years, I find, I was defending the rights of women."

Joseph McCabe, English Writer

Woman, Women, Existence, Rights, Years

38

"I had a terrible vision: I saw an encyclopedia walk up to a polymath and open him up."

"I had a terrible vision: I saw an encyclopedia walk up to a polymath and open him up."

Karl Kraus, Austrian Writer

37

"To me, it's all about opening all the doors and getting people to be not only prolific, but creative and having control of their music."

"To me, it's all about opening all the doors and getting people to be not only prolific, but creative and having control of their music."

Eric Brown, British Writer

Music, People, Control

37

"Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success."

"Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success."

Dale Carnegie, American Writer

Motivational, Success, Failure, Discouragement

37

"You could cover the whole earth with asphalt, but sooner or later green grass would break through."

"You could cover the whole earth with asphalt, but sooner or later green grass would break through."

Ilya Ehrenburg, Ukrainian Writer

37

"What I fear most is power with impunity. I fear abuse of power, and the power to abuse."

"What I fear most is power with impunity. I fear abuse of power, and the power to abuse."

Isabel Allende, Chilean Writer

Power, Fear, Abuse

37

"Those religions that are oppressive to women are also against democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression."

"Those religions that are oppressive to women are also against democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression."

Taslima Nasrin, Bangladeshi Writer

Woman, Women, Democracy, Expression, Freedom

37

"Writing is not a profession but a vocation of unhappiness."

"Writing is not a profession but a vocation of unhappiness."

Georges Simenon, Belgian Writer

Writing, Profession, Unhappiness, Vocation

36

"A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the child who lived in him and who he will miss terribly."

"A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the child who lived in him and who he will miss terribly."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

Man, Play, Will

36

"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words."

"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words."

Elbert Hubbard, American Writer

Communication, Silence, Will, Words

36

"No man is ever old enough to know better."

"No man is ever old enough to know better."

Holbrook Jackson, English Writer

36

"I am human and let nothing human be alien to me."

"I am human and let nothing human be alien to me."

Terence, Roman Writer

35

"As I grew up, I was continually to suffer hardships in different realms of life - in my family, in my relationship to Japanese society and in my way of living at large in the latter half of the twentieth century."

"As I grew up, I was continually to suffer hardships in different realms of life - in my family, in my relationship to Japanese society and in my way of living at large in the latter half of the twentieth century."

Kenzaburo Oe, Japanese Writer

Life, Society, Family, Living

35

"If you can't pay for a thing, don't buy it. If you can't get paid for it, don't sell it. Do this, and you will have calm and drowsy nights, with all of the good business you have now and none of the bad. If you have time, don't wait for time."

"If you can't pay for a thing, don't buy it. If you can't get paid for it, don't sell it. Do this, and you will have calm and drowsy nights, with all of the good business you have now and none of the bad. If you have time, don't wait for time."

Ernst Fischer, Austrian Writer

Business, Time, Now, Will

35

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea."

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea."

Isak Dinesen, Danish Writer

Cure, Sea, Tears

35

"Someone who can write aphorisms should not fritter away his time in essays."

"Someone who can write aphorisms should not fritter away his time in essays."

Karl Kraus, Austrian Writer

Time, Aphorisms

35

"You cannot teach creativity - how to become a good writer. But you can help a young writer discover within himself what kind of writer he would like to be."

"You cannot teach creativity - how to become a good writer. But you can help a young writer discover within himself what kind of writer he would like to be."

Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian Writer

Creativity, Help

35

"Words were not given to man in order to conceal his thoughts."

"Words were not given to man in order to conceal his thoughts."

Jose Saramago, Portuguese Writer

Thought, Thoughts, Man, Order, Words

35

"I was born in ancient times, at the end of the world, in a patriarchal Catholic and conservative family. No wonder that by age five I was a raging feminist - although the term had not reached Chile yet, so nobody knew what the heck was wrong with me."

"I was born in ancient times, at the end of the world, in a patriarchal Catholic and conservative family. No wonder that by age five I was a raging feminist - although the term had not reached Chile yet, so nobody knew what the heck was wrong with me."

Isabel Allende, Chilean Writer

Age, Family, Conservative, End

35

"Experience is the cane of the blind."

"Experience is the cane of the blind."

Jacques Roumain, Haitian Writer

Experience, Blind

35

"It is difficult to understand these people who democratically take part in elections and a referendum, but are then incapable of democratically accepting the will of the people."

"It is difficult to understand these people who democratically take part in elections and a referendum, but are then incapable of democratically accepting the will of the people."

Jose Saramago, Portuguese Writer

People, Elections, Will

35

"There are certain regions in the country where the indigenous people eat dogs."

"There are certain regions in the country where the indigenous people eat dogs."

Jessica Hagedorn, Filipino Writer

People, Country, Dogs

35

"This African American Vernacular English shares most of its grammar and vocabulary with other dialects of English. But it is distinct in many ways, and it is more different from standard English than any other dialect spoken in continental North America."

"This African American Vernacular English shares most of its grammar and vocabulary with other dialects of English. But it is distinct in many ways, and it is more different from standard English than any other dialect spoken in continental North America."

William Labov, American Writer

Language, African, America, English

35

"If you are killed because you are a writer, that's the maximum expression of respect, you know."

"If you are killed because you are a writer, that's the maximum expression of respect, you know."

Mario Vargas Llosa, Peruvian Writer

Expression, Respect

35

"I tend to turn down books originally published as e-books. As for selling books directly to e-book publishers, I would do so only if all traditional publishers had turned them down."

"I tend to turn down books originally published as e-books. As for selling books directly to e-book publishers, I would do so only if all traditional publishers had turned them down."

Richard Curtis, New Zealander Writer

Selling, Books, Newzealander

35

"People may believe that there can be a society where dissent is not permitted, but which is nonetheless not a fear society because everyone agrees with one another and therefore no one wants to dissent."

"People may believe that there can be a society where dissent is not permitted, but which is nonetheless not a fear society because everyone agrees with one another and therefore no one wants to dissent."

Natan Sharansky, Russian Writer

Society, People, Fear, Dissent

34

"When old people speak it is not because of the sweetness of words in our mouths; it is because we see something which you do not see."

"When old people speak it is not because of the sweetness of words in our mouths; it is because we see something which you do not see."

Chinua Achebe, Nigerian Writer

People, Old, Sweetness, Words

34

"Peace goes into the making of a poem as flour goes into the making of bread."

"Peace goes into the making of a poem as flour goes into the making of bread."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

34

"When I start to write, words have become physical presence. It was to see if I could bring that private world to life that found its first expression through reading. I really dislike the romantic notion of the artist."

"When I start to write, words have become physical presence. It was to see if I could bring that private world to life that found its first expression through reading. I really dislike the romantic notion of the artist."

John McGahern, Irish Writer

Life, Artist, Expression, First

34

"The books that help you most are those which make you think that most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading; but a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty."

"The books that help you most are those which make you think that most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading; but a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty."

Pablo Neruda, Chilean Writer

Reading, Beauty, Truth, Thought, Books

34

"There were also horror shows on the radio. Very terrifying and thrilling to me as a kid. They had all these creepy sound effects. They would come on at ten o'clock at night, and I just would scare myself to death."

"There were also horror shows on the radio. Very terrifying and thrilling to me as a kid. They had all these creepy sound effects. They would come on at ten o'clock at night, and I just would scare myself to death."

Jessica Hagedorn, Filipino Writer

Death, Horror, Night, Sound

34

"A child learns to discard his ideals, whereas a grown-up never wears out his short pants."

"A child learns to discard his ideals, whereas a grown-up never wears out his short pants."

Karl Kraus, Austrian Writer

Childhood, Ideals

33

"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it."

"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it."

Madame de Stael, French Writer

Mistake, Conscience, Voice

33

"Fact is we went on to do other things. But we still wanted to do our success like rock'n'roll stars."

"Fact is we went on to do other things. But we still wanted to do our success like rock'n'roll stars."

Joe Eszterhas, Hungarian Writer

Success, Fact, Stars

33

"Relativism is neither a method of fighting, nor a method of creating, for both of these are uncompromising and at times even ruthless; rather, it is a method of cognition."

"Relativism is neither a method of fighting, nor a method of creating, for both of these are uncompromising and at times even ruthless; rather, it is a method of cognition."

Karel Capek, Czechoslovakian Writer

Fight, Fighting

33

"It is reality that awakens possibilities, and nothing would be more perverse than to deny it."

"It is reality that awakens possibilities, and nothing would be more perverse than to deny it."

Robert Musil, Austrian Writer

Nothing, Possibilities, Reality

33

"The Pythagoreans degrade impious men into brutes and, if one is to believe Empedocles, even into plants."

"The Pythagoreans degrade impious men into brutes and, if one is to believe Empedocles, even into plants."

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Italian Writer

Man, Men, Plants

33

"Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame; Each to his passion; what's in a name?"

"Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame; Each to his passion; what's in a name?"

Helen Hunt Jackson, American Writer

Politics, Name, Passion

33

"We're not short of movements proclaiming that a different world is possible, but unless we can coordinate them into an international movement, capitalism just laughs at all these little organisations."

"We're not short of movements proclaiming that a different world is possible, but unless we can coordinate them into an international movement, capitalism just laughs at all these little organisations."

Jose Saramago, Portuguese Writer

Capitalism, World

33

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