“I've never had a grandmother, a great-grandmother, nor a great-great-grandmother. I never even had a mother. I have certainly missed a great deal of love thereby, but fortune has compensated me by not giving me the capacity to hate anyone, neither nations nor individuals. If candlesticks and church bells have been plundered from my ancestors, then I'm only grateful that I'm so ignorant about genealogy.”

—  Halldór Laxness

Ólafur
Heimsljós (World Light) (1940), Book Four: The Beauty of the Heavens

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "I've never had a grandmother, a great-grandmother, nor a great-great-grandmother. I never even had a mother. I have cer…" by Halldór Laxness?
Halldór Laxness photo
Halldór Laxness216
Icelandic author 1902–1998

Related quotes

Charles Perrault photo

“She said to her, "Grandmother, what great arms you have!"
"That's to embrace you the better, my child."
"Grandmother, what great legs you have!"
"That's to run the better, my child."
"Grandmother, what great ears you have!"
"That's to hear the better, my child."
"Grandmother, what great teeth you have!"
"That's for to eat you."
And upon saying these words, this naughty Wolf threw himself upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her.”

Charles Perrault (1628–1703) French author

Tales of Mother Goose, 1727, "Little Red Riding Hood"

“People have often told me that one of their strongest childhood memories is the scent of their grandmother's house. I never knew my grandmothers, but I could always count of the Bookmobile.”

Adriana Trigiani (1970) American film director

Source: Big Stone Gap

Katharine Hepburn photo

“My beautiful Grandmother -- Caroline Garlinghouse -- came from Pittsburgh -- my mother's mother. I never met her but I have followed many of her ideas -- through my mother -- And it has given me a warm spot in my heart for your city…My grandmother's brother, Fred Garlinghouse, lived in Pittsburgh, was an engineer and apparently worked for Jones & Laughlin.”

Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) film, stage, and television actress

On Stage: Kate Hepburn, Richard Rauh and old Nixon Pittsburgh Post-Gazette July 9, 2003. http://old.post-gazette.com/ae/20030709rawson0709p5.asp

“Jane nodded, and she mentally thanked the several-greats-grandmother who had decided she’d rather risk royal displeasure than give up a book.”

Tina Connolly American writer

Source: Ironskin (2012), Chapter 9, “The Misses Ingel” (p. 149)

Michael Pollan photo

“Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.”

Michael Pollan (1955) American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism

Anne Lamott photo

“I'm here to be me, which is taking a great deal longer than I had hoped.”

Anne Lamott (1954) Novelist, essayist, memoirist, activist

Source: Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

Edward St. Aubyn photo

“No doubt his grandmother and his great-grandfather had hoped to empower a senator, enrich a great art collection or encourage a dazzling marriage, but in the end they had mainly subsidized idleness, drunkenness, treachery and divorce.”

Edward St. Aubyn (1960) British writer

At Last, Chapter 6

Roald Dahl photo

“I shall never have a bath again," I said.
"Just dont have one too often," my grandmother said. "Once a month is quite enough for a sensible child." It was at times like these that I loved my grandmother more than ever.”

Roald Dahl (1916–1990) British novelist, short story writer, poet, fighter pilot and screenwriter

Archilochus photo

“The affairs of gold-laden Gyges do not interest me
zealousy of the gods has never seized me nor anger
at their deeds. But I have no love for great tyranny
for its deeds are very far from my eyes.”

Archilochus (-680–-645 BC) Ancient Greek lyric poet

Fragment 19

Related topics