Literature Favorite Quotes

[Cerenity]

I’m going through a phase of reading Maya Angelou. These are my favourite ones so far.

“‎Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”
― I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

“Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings and assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift. ”
― Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

 

[vada]

Haven't posted here in a minute, but since I've been on a Hunger Games kick, here's one of my all-time favorite quotes:

“You love me. Real or not real?"
I tell him, "Real.”
― Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

 

[vada]

“Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.”
― Suzanne Collins, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

“Before need, before love, came trust.”
― Suzanne Collins, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

 

[Naril]

This sequence, from Terry Pratchett's Hogfather, has been with me for a very long time:


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“All right," said Susan. "I'm not stupid. You're saying humans need... fantasies to make life bearable."

REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.

"Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—"

YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.

"So we can believe the big ones?"

YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.

"They're not the same at all!"

YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.

"Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what's the point—"

MY POINT EXACTLY.”