J.R.R. Tolkien · 240 pages
Rating: (3.7K votes)
“Fantasy remains a human right: we make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“the spirit of wickedness in high places is now so powerful and many-headed in its incarnations that there seems nothing more to do than personally refuse to worship any of the hydras' heads.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“Non vedi laggiù la stretta via
Così angusta, circondata da spine e da rovi?
E' il sentiero della Virtù,
Sebbene così pochi lo ricerchino.
E non vedi laggiù quell'ampia, ampia strada,
Che si snoda attraverso il campo di gigli?
E' il sentiero della Malvagità,
Sebbene alcuni lo chiamino la Via del Paradiso.
E non vedi laggiù un grazioso viottolo
Che serpeggia sull'erta tra le felci?
E' il sentiero verso la magica Terra degli Elfi
Dove tu e io questa notte avremo riposo.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“For it is now to us itself ancient; and yet its maker was telling of things already old and weighted with regret, and he expended his art in making keen that touch upon the heart which sorrows have that are both poignant and remote.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“There are in any case many heroes but very few good dragons.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“Even when a prohibition in a fairy-story is guessed to be derived from some taboo once practised long ago, it has probably been preserved in the later stages of the tale's history because of the great mythical significance of prohibition. A sense of significance may indeed have lain behind some of the taboos themselves. Thou shalt not - or else thou shalt depart beggared into endless regret. The gentlest 'nursery-tales' know it. Even Peter Rabbit was forbidden a garden, lost his blue coat, and took sick. The Locked Door stands as an eternal Temptation.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“We must be satisfied with the soup that is set before us, and not desire to see the bones of the ox out of which it has been boiled.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, quote from The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays
“All their lovers' talk began with the phrase "After the war".
After the war, when we're married, shall we live in Italy? There are nice places. My father thinks I wouldn't like it, but I would. As long as I'm with you. After the war, if we have a girl, can we call her Lemoni? After the war, if we've a son, we've got to call him Iannis. After the war, I'll speak to the children in Greek, and you can seak to them in Italian, and that way they'll grow bilingual. After the war, I'm going to write a concerto, and I'll dedicate it to you. After the war, I'm going to train to be a doctor, and I don't care if they don't let women in, I'm still going to do it. After the war I'll get a job in a convent, like Vivaldi, teaching music, and all the little girls will fall in love with me, and you'll be jealous. After the war, let's go to America, I've got relatives in Chicago. After the war we won't bring our children with any religion, they can make their own minds up when they're older. After the war, we'll get our own motorbike, and we'll go all over Europe, and you can give concerts in hotels, and that's how we'll live, and I'll start writing poems. After the war I'll get a mandola so that I can play viola music. After the war I'll love you, after the war, I'll love you, I'll love you forever, after the war.”
― Louis de Bernières, quote from Corelli's Mandolin
“They didn't understand it, but like so many unfortunate events in life, just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't so.”
― Lemony Snicket, quote from The Bad Beginning
“Една пеперуда влетя — бледосиня с тънка черна лента, а някъде близо до нея зад прозореца зажужа пчела. Какво ли правеха тези живинки тук? Дали ги беше объркало зимното слънце, или търсеха да се скрият в затвора от студ? Пеперудата зиме е случайно възкръснало същество. Как ли се е спасила от смъртта? А пчеличката защо ли е напуснала кошера си? Каква неосъзната храброст — да дойдат тук! Добре че отговорникът няма криле, защото иначе няма за дълго да ги остави живички.”
― Henri Charrière, quote from Papillon
“I bet you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone's hand.”
― Benjamin Alire Sáenz, quote from Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
“To light a candle is to cast a shadow...”
― Ursula K. Le Guin, quote from A Wizard of Earthsea
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