“This is my impression of a Southern woman. "Tsk, I am so mad at the Taliban right now!"”

“I am not mad because I'm a woman… I'm mad because you're an asshole.”

Margaret Atwood book Cat's Eye

“Dear friends, on 9 October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists. I do not even hate the Talib who shot me.”

Malala Yousafzai (1997) Pakistani children's education activist

“I am in trouble here. This woman is not right.”

Stephen King book Misery

“They say, O my God, that I am mad because I see no fault in Thee; but if I am indeed mad with Thy love, I do not wish to recover my sanity.”

Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru and poet

“I gave my life to become the person I am right now. Was it worth it?”

Richard Bach (1936) American spiritual writer

“If I am Sophocles, I am not mad; and if I am mad, I am not Sophocles.”

Sophocles (-496–-406 BC) ancient Greek tragedian

“I am not a fool, you know, although I am a woman, and have my woman’s moments.”

Thomas Hardy book Far from the Madding Crowd

“God, I'm in the same studio as de Burgh! He may have stood right where I'm standing now… and just thought his mad thoughts. Like "I am brilliant."”

Bill Bailey (1965) English comedian, musician, actor, TV and radio presenter and author

“The old woman I shall become will be quite different from the woman I am now. Another I is beginning.”

George Sand (1804–1876) French novelist and memoirist; pseudonym of Lucile Aurore Dupin