Quotes from Clear and Present Danger

Tom Clancy ·  688 pages

Rating: (113.3K votes)


“The point of life was to press on, to do the best you can, to make the world a better place.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“I understand why we do that now. It’s a help, not a threat. It’s something to remind you how important words are. Ideas are important. Principles are important. Words are important. Your word is the most important of all. Your word is who you are.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“The only real difference between a wise man and a fool, Moore knew, was that the wise man tended to make more serious mistakes—and only because no one trusted a fool with really crucial decisions; only the wise had the opportunity to lose battles, or nations.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“Jack looked out the window as they passed the Mormon temple, just outside the beltway near Connecticut Avenue. A decidedly odd-looking building, it had grandeur with its marble columns and gilt spires. The beliefs represented by that impressive structure seemed curious to Ryan, a lifelong Catholic, but the people who held them were honest and hardworking, and fiercely loyal to their country, because they believed in what America stood for.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“Privacy and loneliness were the traditional luxuries accorded to a skipper.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger



“The arts and soldiering took time to acquire – time and discipline and desire. No, he was up against bullies. And bullies were cowards. These were mercenaries who acted for money. Shot as, on the other hand, took great pride that he performed his DUTIES for love of country and, though he didn't quite think of it in those terms, for love of his fellow soldiers.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“Poor people have poor options. Chavez found the Army almost by accident, and had found it a true open of security and opportunity and fellowship and respect.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“Politicians are more concerned with “issues” than “principles,” but talked as though the two nouns had the same meaning.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“The President was trapped – and with nearly every president, it had come about from his own words. Presidential promises and statements… The people had this annoying way of remembering them. And even if they didn't, there were journalists and political rivals never passed on a chance to make the necessary reminders.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“The mark of a good officer, Wegener repeatedly told his youngsters, was willingness to admit he had something yet to learn.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger



“There is no seamen in the world who prefers a slow ship to a fast one. The painters painted better, the cooks took a little more time with the meals, and the technicians tightened the bolts just a little more. Their ship was no longer a cripple, and pride broke out in the crew like a rainbow after a summer shower.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“The first step in accomplishing any goal was deciding that it was possible.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


“Under the circumstances, washing without soap wasn’t even as good as kissing your sister.”
― Tom Clancy, quote from Clear and Present Danger


About the author

Tom Clancy
Born place: in Baltimore County, Maryland, The United States
Born date April 12, 1947
See more on GoodReads

Popular quotes

“This is where Amy’s from. This is the dirt that she walked on. This is the sky that she grew up under. It’s the place that made you who you are. And that’s what made me like it.” “It’s”
― Danielle Paige, quote from Yellow Brick War


“Sometimes that’s all we really have to get us through the hard times. Something as empty and useless as words can be what keeps us treading water in the raging and unforgiving river that is life. And that is exactly what they’ve been for me.”
― B.N. Toler, quote from Where One Goes


“Because you had no power over the fact that I was born, you took from me what I was born with--the person who was my love, the half that made me entire--and now I am lessened into this dull thing, a divided person who will live forever, wandering in search of some nothing, some nowhere, some no-feeling, to mend my pain.”
― Affinity Konar, quote from Mischling


“I say, when Mercury arrives, we just pretend we’re not here.” Lawe
tipped back his whiskey and swallowed in a single drink. “Stay real quiet.
Don’t make eye contact.”
They all nodded.”
― Lora Leigh, quote from Mercury's War


“A successful novel should erase the boundary line between writer and reader, so they can unite. When that happens, the novel becomes a part of life—the main course, not the dessert. A successful novel should interrupt the reader’s life, make him or her miss appointments,”
― William Golding, quote from The Inheritors


Interesting books

The Cask of Amontillado
(52.7K)
The Cask of Amontill...
by Edgar Allan Poe
The Husband
(39.5K)
The Husband
by Dean Koontz
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
(7.3K)
The Marriage of Heav...
by William Blake
The Fire Chronicle
(6.7K)
The Fire Chronicle
by John Stephens
Season of Migration to the North
(14.4K)
Season of Migration...
by Tayeb Salih
Ark Angel
(37.2K)
Ark Angel
by Anthony Horowitz

About BookQuoters

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.

Founded in 2023, BookQuoters has quickly become a large and vibrant community of people who share an affinity for books. Books are seen by some as a throwback to a previous world; conversely, gleaning the main ideas of a book via a quote or a quick summary is typical of the Information Age but is a habit disdained by some diehard readers. We feel that we have the best of both worlds at BookQuoters; we read books cover-to-cover but offer you some of the highlights. We hope you’ll join us.