Quotes from The Country of the Pointed Firs

“In the life of each of us, I said to myself, there is a place remote and islanded, and given to endless regret or secret happiness; we are each the uncompanioned hermit and recluse of an hour or a day; we understand our fellows of the cell to whatever age of history they may belong.”
― Sarah Orne Jewett, quote from The Country of the Pointed Firs

“I couldn't help thinkin' if she was as far out o' town as she was out o' tune, she wouldn't get back in a day.”
― Sarah Orne Jewett, quote from The Country of the Pointed Firs

“A community narrows down and grows dreadful ignorant when it is shut up to its own affairs, and gets no knowledge of the outside world except from a cheap, unprincipled paper.”
― Sarah Orne Jewett, quote from The Country of the Pointed Firs

“It does seem so pleasant to talk with an old acquaintance that knows what you know. I see so many of these new folks nowadays, that seem to have neither past nor future. Conversation's got to have some root in the past, or else you've got to explain every remark you make, an' it wears a person out.”
― Sarah Orne Jewett, quote from The Country of the Pointed Firs

“When one really knows a village like this and its surroundings, it is like becoming acquainted with a single person. The process of falling in love at first sight is as final as it is swift in such a case, but the growth of true friendship may be a lifelong affair.”
― Sarah Orne Jewett, quote from The Country of the Pointed Firs

“There is all the pleasure that one can have in golddigging in finding one’s hopes satisfied in the riches of a good hill of potatoes.”
― Sarah Orne Jewett, quote from The Country of the Pointed Firs

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Popular quotes

“Searching for the scent
of the early plum,
I found it by the eaves
Of a proud storehouse.”
― Matsuo Bashō, quote from Backroads to Far Towns: Basho's Travel Journal

“Ede had been pregnant not quite the full term: eight months, two weeks, four days. She had lapsed into an extended silence - partly because she was still in mourning - still enraged and afraid of speech. And partly, too, because the child itself had taken up dreaming in her belly - dreaming and, Ede was certain, singing. Not singing songs a person knew, of course. Nothing Ede could recognize. But songs for certain. Music - with a tune to it. Evocative. A song about self. A song about place. As if a bird had sung it, sitting in a tree at the edge of a field. Or high in the air above a field. A hovering song. Of recognition.”
― Timothy Findley, quote from The Piano Man's Daughter

“Круг се поддаде на нежния топъл напор на сълзите, с присъщата за това действие наслада. Чувството не облекчение не продължи дълго, защото едва им бе разрешил да потекат, и те рукнаха, безмилостно горещи и обилни, замъглиха очите му и го задавиха. Обгърнат от спазматична мъгла, той вървеше по павираната „Обожемой Лейн“ към брега. Опита да се поизкашля, но това само предизвика нов конвулсивен пристъп на сълзи. Вече съжаляваше, че се бе поддал на изкушението, защото не можеше да върне назад своето отстъпление и треперещият човек в него бе залят от сълзи. Както обикновено, той различаваше треперещия от наблюдателя: гледащ със загриженост, със съчувствие, с въздишка или с вежливо удивление. Това бе последното убежище на ненавистния му дуализъм. Корен квадратен от Аз е равен на Аз. Бележки под линия, незабравки. От някакъв абстрактен бряг другоземецът спокойна наблюдава течението на местната скръб. Позната фигура, макар анонимна и отчуждена. Той видя, че хлипам, когато бях десетгодишен, и ме отведе до едно огледало в някаква необитаема стая (с празна клетка за папагал в ъгъла), за да разгледам внимателно своето размиващо се лице. Повдигнал вежди, той слушаше как говоря неща, които изобщо нямах право да говоря. Във всяка от маските, които изпробвах, имаше прорези за неговите очи. Дори в миговете, когато бивах разтърсван от конвулсии, най-високо ценени от мъжа. Моят спасител. Моят свидетел. И Круг бръкна в джоба за кърпичката си, неясно бяло петно някъде в глъбините на неговата лична нощ. Измъквайки се най-после от лабиринта на джобовете, той попи и изтри тъмното небе и обезформените къщи, и видя, че наближава моста.”
― Vladimir Nabokov, quote from Bend Sinister

“He stopped. “You're upset. I'll shut up and leave you”
― Iris Johansen, quote from The Killing Game

“Be honest with yourself; set the alarm for the time the Real You will get up, not the Ambitious You, because the Ambitious You doesn't really exist.”
― Laurie Notaro, quote from Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood

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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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