“Its really most remarkable how the human race is so seldom satisfied with what its got. Give a man the world and he's pining for the moon.”
― Susan Howatch, quote from Penmarric
“There’s a pattern. Never, never doubt that there’s a pattern. There’s a pattern always. Everywhere. In everyone.”
― Susan Howatch, quote from Penmarric
“but a show of force by the mightiest nation on earth isn’t going to do anything except convince them that their attitudes are worth holding on to. Soon they’ll be martyrs and world opinion will think the British Empire nothing but a big bully too fond of waving the big stick.”
― Susan Howatch, quote from Penmarric
“could not even manage to reply. “It’s because I think it of vital importance that such scenes should be avoided in the future that I suggest we separate permanently with a view to seeking a divorce when it becomes possible for us to do so. I have no grounds for divorcing you, as I’m sure you realize, but if I leave you now and insist on remaining at Allengate without your consent you will eventually be able to seek a divorce on the grounds of adultery coupled with desertion. I believe the period of desertion has to be at least two years, so we would have to wait before commencing proceedings, but unfortunately since you cannot divorce me for adultery alone there’s no other alternative open to us. Now, I know divorce will mean a considerable amount of scandal and I’m sure a great many people will disapprove and be shocked, but I dare say most of the criticism will fall upon me and frankly I’m willing to endure a great deal to terminate this situation in the most expedient way available. You know and I know that our marriage is irrevocably finished. My one concern now is that we act in a way most beneficial to the children, and in my opinion”
― Susan Howatch, quote from Penmarric
“I’m too much of a coward to be an atheist,” I said. “I couldn’t bear not to believe in anything. I have to believe there’s God,”
― Susan Howatch, quote from Penmarric
“Nobody is more of a patriot than I am, but I’ve very little confidence in politicians and even less confidence in wars.”
― Susan Howatch, quote from Penmarric
“He(Erkenwald) shuddered suddenly. “That is what you do, Lord Uhtred! You beat a child into obedience! A child learns by suffering pain, by being beaten, and that pregnant child must learn her duty. God wills it! Praise God!”
I heard only last week that they want to make Erkenwald into a saint. Priests come to my
home beside the northern sea where they find an old man, and they tell me I am just a few
paces from the fires of hell. I only need repent, they say, and I will go to heaven and live for
evermore in the blessed company of the saints.
And I would rather burn till time itself burns out.”
― Bernard Cornwell, quote from Sword Song
“superb book Mercia and the Making of England (Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2000).”
― Bernard Cornwell, quote from The Burning Land
“I don't know if it was love or an illusion. I don't know if there's ever a way to be certain.”
― Lauren DeStefano, quote from Sever
“Engineering is the art of the practical and depends more on the total state of the art than it does on the individual engineer. When railroading time comes you can railroad—but not before.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, quote from The Door Into Summer
“The sunset was that long, achingly beautiful balance of stillness in which the sun seemed to hover like a red balloon above the western horizon, the entire sky catching fire from the death of day; a sunset unique to the American Midwest and ignored by most of its inhabitants. The twilight brought the promise of coolness and the certain threat of night.”
― Dan Simmons, quote from Summer of Night
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.
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