“Once she read a book but found it distasteful because it contained adjectives.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“We are four worthy orphans with a no-nonsense nanny."
Like Mary Poppins?" suggested the man, with a pleased look of recognition.
Not one bit like that fly-by-night woman," Nanny said with a sniff. "It almost gives me diabetes just to think of her: all those disgusting spoonfuls of sugar!”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“I have learned over the course of my many years that it is a bad idea, usually, to investigate piteous weeping but always a fine thing to look into a giggle.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“Oh! Lovely!" said Nanny. "You are an old fashioned family, like us. We are four worthy orphans with a no-nonsense nanny."
"Like Mary Poppins?" suggested the man, with a pleased look of recognition.
"Not one bit like that fly-by-night woman," Nanny said with a sniff. "It almost gives me diabetes just to think of her: all those disgusting spoonfuls of sugar! None of that for me. I am simply a competent and professional nanny...”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“It’s Peter the goat-herd,” murmured Tim in astonishment, “right out of Heidi! We can teach him to read and write, and then we’ll all smile and hug and say religious things!”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“She married, surprisingly, her stepbrother Tim, who, as predicted, became an attorney. The”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“AFFABLE means good-natured and friendly. There are whole groups of people who are known for being affable. Cheerleaders, for example. Or Mormon missionaries.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“CONSPIRACY is a plan to do something subversive. Three guys planning a camping trip . . . nah, that’s just three guys planning a camping trip. But three guys planning to take a camping trip and rob a bank along the way . . . that’s a conspiracy.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“IGNOMINIOUS means shamefully weak and ineffective. Oliver Twist saying, “Please sir, might I have some more?” would be ignominious, except that he isn’t shameful, just sort of pathetic. This book has ignominious illustrations. They are shamefully weak because the person who drew them is not an artist.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“NEFARIOUS means utterly, completely wicked. The character in The Wizard of Oz could have been called the Nefarious Witch of the West but authors like to use the same beginning consonant, often. Perhaps L. Frank Baum crossed out nefarious after wicked came to his mind. Thank goodness, because Nefarious would be a terrible name for a musical.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“The Willoughby parents frequently forgot that they had children and became quite irritable when they were reminded of it.”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“Squalor has nothing to do with money. Squalor happens when people are sad. And”
― Lois Lowry, quote from The Willoughbys
“This is the kind of room poets are supposed to work in, the kind of room that threatens to break your spirit and forces you into constant battle with yourself.”
― Paul Auster, quote from Invisible
“I closed my eyes and let my enemy win.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, quote from Twisted
“I suck at this spillin’ my guts stuff.
I always have. You know that probably better’n anyone.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a lousy excuse. It always has been.”
Trevor slowly lifted his head and gave Edgard an incredulous look. “How is that smartass answer supposed to help me?”
“Oh, so now you want my help?”
“Well yeah, since it’s obvious I f**ked up and it’s obvious you think you know how to fix it.”
“Fine.” Edgard pointed to the cell phone clipped on the dash. “Call her. Say, ‘Baby, I’m sorry I was an ass**le. I love you’, but for Christsake don’t qualify it.”
“Qualify it, meanin’ what?”
“Don’t tack on, ‘I was an ass**le because I’m under stress’, just apologize. Period.”
They stared at each other.
“That’s it?”
“Sometimes the smallest gestures have the biggest impact.”
“Can’t be that easy,” Trevor muttered, snatching the phone. He faced out the driver’s side window but didn’t lower his voice.”
― Lorelei James, quote from Cowgirl Up and Ride
“If any one thinks I am unfaithful to human fact, and overcharge the description of this child, I on my side doubt the extent of the experience of that man or woman. I admit the child a rarity, but a rarity in the right direction, and therefore a being with whom humanity has the greater need to be made acquainted. I admit that the best things are the commonest, but the highest types and the best combinations of them are the rarest. There is more love in the world than anything else, for instance; but the best love and the individual in whom love is supreme are the rarest of all things.”
― George MacDonald, quote from Sir Gibbie
“It is supposed that power corrupts,' the caterpillar said in a voice as untroubled as time itself. "yet the powerful are often corrupt before they are powerful. In fact, I find that they too often become powerful by being corrupt. Whether real or perceived, a lack of power can also corrupt.”
― Frank Beddor, quote from ArchEnemy
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