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Tender Buttons

by Gertrude Stein · 1914

Before becoming the patron of Lost Generation artists, Gertrude Stein established her reputation as an innovative author whose style was closer to painting than literature. Stein's strong influence on 20th-century literature… more

21 quotes ★ 3.64 (7,292) Literature

Quotes from the Book

In the morning there is meaning, in the evening there is feeling.
185
A FEATHER. A feather is trimmed, it is trimmed by the light and the bug and the post, it is trimmed by little leaning and by all sorts of mounted reserves and loud volumes. It is surely cohesive.
29
Hope in gates, hope in spoons, hope in doors, hope in tables, no hope in daintiness and determination. Hope in dates.
19
Asparagus in a lean in a lean is to hot. This makes it art and it is wet weather wet weather wet
10
A light white, a disgras, an ink spot, a rosy charm.
9
A virgin a whole virgin is judged made and so between curves and outlines and real seasons and more out glasses and a perfectly unprecedented arrangement between old ladies and mild colds there is no satin wood shining.
9
A cool red rose and a pink cut pink, a collapse and a sold hole, a little less hot. - Red roses.
8
What is the use of a violent kind of delightfulness if there is no pleasure in not getting tired of it. - A substance in a cushion
8
A piece of crystal. A change, in a change that is remarkable there is no reason to say that there was a time.
7
Act so that there is no use in a center.
5
What is a nail. A nail is unison.
4
Sugar is not a vegetable.
4
There is no use in a smell, in taste, in teeth, in toast, in anything, there is no use at all and the respect is mutual. Why should that which is uneven, that which is resumed, that which is tolerable why should all this resemble a smell, a thing is there, it whistles, it is not narrower, why is there no obligation to stay away and yet courage, courage is everywhere and the best remains to stay.
4
replacing a casual aquaintance with an ordinary daughter does not make a son.
4
Cloudiness what is cloudiness, is it a lining, is it a roll, is it melting.
4
When is there some discharge when. There never is.
4
The care with which there is incredible justice and likeness, all this makes a magnificent asparagus, and also a fountain.
2
A seal and matches and a swan and ivy and a suit.
2
A Light in the Moon" A light in the moon the only light is on Sunday. What was the sensible decision. The sensible decision was that notwithstanding many declarations and more music, not even notwithstanding the choice and a torch and a collection, notwithstanding the celebrating hat and a vacation and even more noise than cutting, notwithstanding Europe and Asia and being overbearing, not even notwithstanding an elephant and a strict occasion, not even withstanding more cultivation and some seasoning, not even with drowning and with the ocean being encircling, not even with more likeness and any cloud, not even with terrific sacrifice of pedestrianism and a special resolution, not even more likely to be pleasing. The care with which the rain is wrong and the green is wrong and the white is wrong, the care with which there is a chair and plenty of breathing. The care with which there is incredible justice and likeness, all this makes a magnificent asparagus, and also a fountain.
2
A bag which was left and not only taken but turned away was not found. The place was shown to be very like the last time. A piece was not exchanged, not a bit of it, a piece was left over. The rest was mismanaged.
2
If red is in everything it is not necessary. Is that not an argument for any use of it and even so is there any place that is better, is there any place that has so much stretched out.
2

About Gertrude Stein

We have collected 31 quotes from 2 books by Gertrude Stein on BookQuoters.

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About the book

Before becoming the patron of Lost Generation artists, Gertrude Stein established her reputation as an innovative author whose style was closer to painting than literature. Stein's strong influence on 20th-century literature is evident in this 1915 work of highly original prose rendered in thought-provoking experimental techniques.

Book details

First published
1914
Goodreads rating
3.64 (7k ratings)

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