Quotes from A Dangerous Fortune

Ken Follett ·  596 pages

Rating: (26.6K votes)


“There was also something false about the atmosphere here. It was solemn and dignified like a church or the court of a president or a museum. They were moneylenders, but they acted as if charging interest were a noble calling, like the priesthood.”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


“The Bible says, ‘If any would not work, neither should he eat.’ Saint Paul wrote that, in Second Thessalonians, chapter three, verse ten,”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


“A man who had a love affair was considered wicked but romantic; a woman who did the same was a whore.”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


“The extra line or two around her eyes only made them more fascinating; the touch of silver in her hair enhanced the blackness of the rest; and if she was a little heavier than she had been it made her body more voluptuous.”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


“But when you grab happiness you may let go of something more valuable --- your integrity. - Hugh Pilaster”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune



“A man should have a hobby. It keeps him out of trouble. -Madeleine Pilaster”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


“Even if you were taken out of school for want of money, Hugh. It's no excuse for false values. The world is full of poor people who understand that love and friendship are more important than riches - Maisie Greenbourne”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


“I don't stoop to criticize you. I despise you. - Samuel Pilaster”
― Ken Follett, quote from A Dangerous Fortune


About the author

Ken Follett
Born place: in Cardiff, The United Kingdom
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Popular quotes

“What did I think? Right then I was thinking about my father, specifically his habit of treating everyone with courtesy and consideration, of how he used to stop on lower Division Street and converse genially with old black men from the Hill whom he knew from his early days as a route man. His kindness and interest weren't feigned, nor did they derive, I'm convinced, from any perceived send of duty. His behavior was merely an extension of who he was. But here's the thing about my father that I've come to understand only reluctantly and very recently. If he wasn't the cause of what ailed his fellow man, neither was he the solution. He believed in "Do unto Others." It was a good, indeed golden, rule to by and it never occurred to him that perhaps it wasn't enough. "You ain't gotta love people," I remember him proclaiming to the Elite Coffee Club guys at Ikey's back in the early days. Confused by mean-spirited behavior, he was forever explaining how little it cost to be polite, to be nice to people. Make them feel good then they're down because maybe tomorrow you'll be down. Such a small thing. Love, he seemed to understand, was a very big thing indeed, its cost enormous and maybe more than you could afford if you were spendthrift. Nobody expects that of you, asny more than they expected you to hand out hundred-dollar bills on the street corner.
And I remember my mother's response when he repeated over dinner what he'd told the men at the store. "Really, Lou? Isn't that exactly what we're supposed to do? Love people? Isn't that what the Bible says?”
― Richard Russo, quote from Bridge of Sighs


“When I get married, I'm gonna register at Bank of America.”
― Chelsea Handler, quote from My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands


“My brain is like a water faucet that I can turn on or off. Only now there is no off and the water of thoughts just flows.”
― Francisco X. Stork, quote from Marcelo in the Real World


“I don't care anymore. Even if she never speaks to me again because of the press, she's worth it. She makes me a person, not just a wish granter.”
― Jackson Pearce, quote from As You Wish


“How would hating benefit me? The elves did what they had to do, and so did I. I learned how to sail their ships. I learned to speak their language fluently. No, as I’ve discovered, hate generally costs a man more than he can afford.”
― Margaret Weis, quote from Dragon Wing


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BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and choose the ones that are most thought-provoking. Each quote represents a book that is interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the reader’s life. We also accept submissions from our visitors and will select the quotes we feel are most appealing to the BookQuoters community.

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