“They didn't know why these things were funny. Sometimes you laugh because you've got no more room for crying. Sometimes you laugh because table manners on a beach are funny. And sometimes you laugh because you're alive, when you really shouldn't be.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“No more words. We know them all, all the words that should not be said. But you have made my world more perfect.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Don't look back!"
"Why not?"
"Because I just did! Run faster!”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Even our fears make us feel important, because we fear we might not be.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“The world is a globe — the farther you sail, the closer to home you are.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“It was like being in a Jane Austen novel, but one with far less clothing.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Life is a trick, and you get one chance to learn it.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“What did they feed the lions and tigers with in the ark, sir?”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“They obeyed, as wise men do when a woman puts her foot down . . .”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Thinking. This book contains some. Whether you try it at home is up to you.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“You are very clever," said the old man shyly. "I would like to eat your brains, one day."
For some reason the books of etiquette that Daphne's grandmother had forced on her didn't quite deal with this. Of course, silly people would say to babies, "You're so sweet I could gobble you all up!" but that sort of nonsense seemed less funny when it was said by a man in war paint who owned more than one skull. Daphne, cursed with good manners, settled for "It's very kind of you to say so.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“I notice you didn't laugh, Mr. Black!
No, Your Majesty. We are forbidden to laugh at the things kings say, sire, because otherwise we would be at it all day.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Light died in the west. Night and tears took the Nation. The star of Water drifted among the clouds like a murderer softly leaving the scene of the crime.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Who'd want a pony when you could have the whole universe? It was far more interesting and you didn't have to muck it out once a week.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Oh, well...up until now it had been a good day, in a horrible kind of way.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Religion is not an exact science. Sometimes, of course, neither is science.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“That’s what the gods are! An answer that will do! Because there’s food to be caught and babies to be born and life to be lived and so there is no time for big, complicated, and worrying answers! Please give us a simple answer, so that we don’t have to think, because if we think, we might find answers that don’t fit the way we want the world to be.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“The most important thing was that time had passed, pouring thousands of soothing seconds across the island. People need time to deal with the now before it runs away and becomes the then.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“When much is taken, something is returned.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“You are very clever," said the old man shyly. "I would like to eat your brains, one day.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“It was, according to the history books, the fastest coronation since Bubric the Saxon crowned himself with a very pointy crown on a hill during a thunderstorm, and reigned for one and a half seconds.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“It takes an unusual man to make up a hymn in a hurry, but such a man was Captain Roberts. He knew every hymn in The Antique and Contemporary Hymn Book, and sang his way through them loudly and joyously when he was on watch, which had been one of the reasons for the mutiny.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Science is not interested in what stands to reason.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“He'd missed dogs. Dogs added something that even people didn't, and one of the dogs was sitting by his feet, here in the darkness and the gentle rain. It wasn't bothered much about the rain or what might be out there on the unseen sea, but Mau was a warm body moving about in a sleeping world and might at any moment do something that called for runnung around and barking. Occasionally it looked up at him adoringly and made a slobbery gulping noise which possibly meant "Anything you say, boss!”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“Captain Roberts went to Heaven, which wasn't everything that he'd expected, and as the receding water gently marooned the wreck of the Sweet Judy on the forest floor, only one soul was left alive. Or possibly two, if you like parrots.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“The Universe isn’t just a light show, they keep it running during the day too.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“She felt better for all that. A good shouting at somebody always makes you feel better and in control, especially if you aren't.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
“[...]And his head is on fire with new things[...]he called himself the little blue hermit, scuttling across the sand in search of a new shell, but now he looks at the sky and knows that no shell will ever be big enough, ever.”
― Terry Pratchett, quote from Nation
Terry Pratchett
Born place: in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, The United Kingdom
Born date April 28, 1948
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“In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things? If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, quote from Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community
“I don't think food safety laws are going to protect you from a third carnitas burrito," Hanson said. "That's not about food safety. It's about pork fat overload.”
― John Scalzi, quote from Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas
“To 'Know Thyself' is considered quite an accomplishment, which it has taken us, who are your elders, months to perfect.”
― L. Frank Baum, quote from The Marvelous Land of Oz (Books of Wonder)
“He hated himself," Gwen said. "You just got caught in the cross fire.”
― Kelly Creagh, quote from Oblivion
“Jonah has that strange look on his face. He must have another of Maryrose’s memories. Probably that she once sang a lullaby on a windy day. OR SOMETHING ELSE TOTALLY USELESS. “Is it about canoeing?” I ask, trying to be positive. He scratches his head. “It is! Maryrose was good at canoeing!” Oh! Yay! “Did she ever stop a boat?” “Yes!” he exclaims. Great! “How?” I ask. “With paddles!” he says. Argh. “Thanks for nothing, Maryrose’s memories!” I yell. “We have to stop this canoe!”
― Sarah Mlynowski, quote from Once Upon a Frog
Nevermore
Written in My Own He...
The Laughing Corpse
Light
Lover Reborn
My Blood ApprovesBookQuoters 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.
