Quotes about back
page 16

“If you love books enough, books will love you back.”

Source: Among Others

“We sat in the car
& the night dropped
down until the
only sounds were
the crickets &
the dance of our voices

& for a moment
the world became
small enough to
roll back & forth
between us.”

Brian Andreas (1956) American artist

Source: Hearing Voices - Volume 5: Collected Stories and Drawings

World, Cars, Dance, Night

“And now you'll be telling stories
of my coming back
and they won't be false, and they won't be true
but they'll be real”

Mary Oliver (1935–2019) American writer

Source: A Thousand Mornings

Falseness

“Then how about one kiss?' he said with a sexy grin. 'Something to remember me by?'

'I’ll give you something to remember me by,' I said. The back of my head.' I pushed past him and escaped through the door to freedom.”

Ellen Schreiber (1967) American writer

Source: The Coffin Club

Kiss, Freedom, Past

“Yanking his inner manwhore back to the land of polite conversating, he forced his hands to stop”

Jessica Bird (1969) U.S. novelist

Source: Lover Unleashed

“Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings.”

Robert Benchley (1889–1945) American comedian

Guy, Singing

“When someone tells you something big, it's like you're taking money from them, and there's no way it will ever go back to being the way it was. You have to take responsibility for listening.”

Banana Yoshimoto book The Lake

Source: The Lake

Money, Way

“When you love something, you have to make sure it loves you back, or you'll bring about no end of trouble chasing it.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Wise Man's Fear

Source: The Wise Man's Fear

Love

“There are moments when i wish i could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but i have a feeling that if i did, the joy would be gone as well. So i take the memories as they come, accepting them all, letting them guide me whenever i can.”

Nicholas Sparks book Dear John

Source: Dear John

Sadness, Feeling, Memory, Joy

“What he's really saying is: Please be a human being. With a life so full of rules and regiments, it's so easy to forget that's what they are. She knows—she sees—how often compassion takes a back seat to expediency.”

Neal Shusterman book Unwind

Source: Unwind

Life, Forgetting

“The blankets had fallen off and I stared down at her white back, the shoulder blades sticking out as if they wanted to grow into wings, poke through that skin. Little blades. She was helpless.”

Charles Bukowski book Post Office

Source: Post Office

“There is an old and very wise Native American saying: Every time you point a finger in scorn—there are three remaining fingers pointing right back at you.”

Alyson Nöel (1965) writer

Source: Fated

Time

“One's character is set at an early age. The choices you make now will affect you for the rest of your life. I hate to see you swim out so far you can't swim back.”

Wendelin Van Draanen Flipped

Source: Flipped

Life, Hate, Age

“Don't sit back and wait for God to do it all. Ask for His advice, but be prepared to do the hard yards yourself.”

Morris Gleitzman (1953) Australian writer

Source: Grace

God, Waiting

“Don't leave a piece of jewelry at his house so you can go back and get it later; he may be with his real girlfriend.”

Amy Sedaris (1961) American comedian

Source: I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence

Housing

“From the outer edge of his life, looking back, there was only one remorse, and that was only that he wished to go on living.”

Ray Bradbury book The Illustrated Man

Source: The Illustrated Man

Life

“Thank you," she whispered, "for keeping yourself alive, soldier."
"You're welcome," he whispered back.”

Paullina Simons book Tatiana and Alexander

Source: Tatiana and Alexander

“There are moments when I wish I could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but I have the feeling that if I did, the joy would be gone as well.”

Nicholas Sparks book A Walk to Remember

Source: A Walk to Remember

Sad, Depressing, Hurtful, Sadness

“He understood how dangerous oaths could be. But Leo didn't care.
"I'm coming back for you, Calypso," he said to the night wind. "I swear it on the River Styx.”

Rick Riordan book The House of Hades

Source: The House of Hades

Night

“Get back in my cot, girl," said Gilsa. "You're sickly."
No, I'm not," said Ani.
Oh, no? Well, maybe stubbornness is a sickness, did you ever think of that?”

Shannon Hale (1974) American fantasy novelist

Girl, Thinking

“I didn't call you because I'm tired of you only wanting me around when you need something. I'm tired of watching you be in love with someone else - someone, incidentally, who will never love you back. Not the way I do.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Glass

Variant: No." Magnus strode toward him. "I didn't call you because I'm tired of you only wanting me around when you need something. I'm tired of watching you be in love with someone else-someone, incidentally, who will never love you back. Not the way I do.
Source: City of Glass

Love, Way

“Somehow it always comes back to coal at school.”

Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games

Source: The Hunger Games

School

“Some memories remain close; you can shut your eyes and find yourself back in them. But there are second-person memories, too, distant you memories, and these are trickier: you watch yourself in disbelief.”

Jess Walter book Beautiful Ruins

Source: Beautiful Ruins

Distant, Memory, Personality

“And I'm moved, it's so beautiful. Not what I wrote, but to have it given back like this. To have her remember the words and the tune. To hear it in her voice.”

David Levithan (1972) American author and editor

Source: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Beauty

“Be careful what you wish for. I know that for a fact. Wishes are brutal, unforgiving things. They burn your tongue the moment they're spoken and you can never take them back.”

Alice Hoffman book The Ice Queen

Source: The Ice Queen

“She loved him because he had brought her back to life. She had been like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and he had drawn her out and shown her that she was a butterfly.”

Ken Follett book The Pillars of the Earth

Source: The Pillars of the Earth

Love, Life

“You cannot save every fallen bird," said Woosley, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. "Even the handsome ones." "One will do," said Magnus, and, as Will was no longer within his sight, he let the front door fall shut.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Prince

Source: Clockwork Prince

Bird

“I may be nervous," I say.
"Okay, I'm really glad you said that, because I just went to the back room to put on more deodorant." Sebastian says.”

Deb Caletti (1963) American writer

Source: The Nature of Jade

“The empty blue sky of space says 'All this comes back to me, then goes again, and comes back again, then goes again, and I don't care, it still belongs to me”

Jack Kerouac book Big Sur

Source: Big Sur

“Reality is, you know, the tip of an iceberg of irrationality that we've managed to drag ourselves up onto for a few panting moments before we slip back into the sea of the unreal.”

Terence McKenna (1946–2000) American ethnobotanist

Variant: Reality is, you know, the tip of an iceberg of irrationality that we've managed to drag ourselves up onto for a few panting moments before we slip back into the sea of the unreal.

Reality, Sea

“He ran the back of his hand up her cheek, with the pretense of wiping away sweat.”

Jonathan Safran Foer book Everything Is Illuminated

Source: Everything Is Illuminated

“After the group vet appointment--during which Lyle scratched the vet, the vet tech, and some poor woman minding her own business in the waiting room--we went back to Sabrina's and re-released the cats to their natural habitat.”

Sarah Dessen Lock and Key

Source: Lock and Key

Cats, Business, Nature, Waiting

“You can't go back; I can't go back either, but we can go on.”

Christine Feehan book Dark Destiny

Source: Dark Destiny

“I want to tell him that deep down each time Hannah looked at him she was grateful it was him because Jude did something that the others didn't. He came back for her.”

Melina Marchetta book On the Jellicoe Road

Source: On the Jellicoe Road

Time

“I made such a fool of myself,” she lamented.
“Love does not make you a fool.”
“He didn’t love me back.”
“That does not make you a fool, either.”
“Just tell me …” Her voice cracked. “When does it stop hurting?”
“Sometimes never.”

Mitch Albom (1958) American author

Source: The Time Keeper

Love, Fools, Hurt

“It seems that the rebels found the chaos of transition more difficult to accept than the tyranny they had known before. They joyfully welcomed back authority-even oppressive authority-for it was less painful for them than uncertainty.”

Brandon Sanderson (1975) American fantasy writer

Source: The Well of Ascension

Pain

“I shot up, now as angry and frusterated as him. I had a feeling if i stayed, we'd both snap. In and undertone, I murmured,"this isnt over. i won't give up on you."
" I've given up on you,"he said back, voice also soft. "Love fades. Mine has.”

Richelle Mead book Spirit Bound

Variant: Rose. Please stop. Please stay away."
[... ]
In an undertone, I murmured, "This isn't over. I won't give up on you."
"I've given up on you," he said back, voice also soft. "Love fades. Mine has.
Source: Spirit Bound

Love, Feeling

“When I say,, I don't mean,. I don't mean,. I don't mean,.
I want us to go back down to that root.
I want you to be the one who loves me.
I want to be the one who loves you.”

David Levithan The Lover's Dictionary

Source: The Lover's Dictionary

Love

“All change brings bad things and good things to replace the bad and good things that were before. It is natural to look back and say it was better before—but that does not make it true. Different is not worse. It is just different.”

Patricia Briggs book River Marked

Source: River Marked

Nature, Change

“Curran looked back at me. "Why is it you always attract creeps?"

"You tell me." Ha! Walked right into that one, yes, he did.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Strikes

“Elena gasped back, "I can touch the ground!"
"I can see you touching it!", Bonnie exclaimed with tears of joy.”

L.J. Smith (1965) American author

Source: Dark Reunion

Tear, Joy

“Age is a terrible thief. Just when you're getting the hang of life, it knocks your legs out from under you and stoops your back. It makes you ache and muddies your head and silently spreads cancer throughout your spouse.”

Sara Gruen book Water for Elephants

Source: Water for Elephants

Life, Age

“If you love something let it go.. if it comes back its yours”

James Patterson book Maximum Ride

Source: Max

For Him, For Boyfriend, Love

“It all counts,' Adam said again. 'And the bottom line is, what defines you isn't how many times you crash, but the number of times you get back on the bike. As long as it's one more, you're all good.-pg 325 Along for the Ride”

Sarah Dessen book Along for the Ride

Source: Along for the Ride

Time

“I love you John Tyree, and I'm going to hold you to the promise you once made me. If you come back, I'll marry you. If you break your promise, you'll break my heart.”

Nicholas Sparks (1965) American writer and novelist

Love, Heart

“With enough determination, any bloody idiot can get up this hill,” Hall observed. “The trick is to get back down alive.”

Jon Krakauer book Into Thin Air

Source: Into Thin Air

“Looking back, I imagine I was always writing. Twaddle it was too. But better far write twaddle or anything, anything, than nothing at all.”

Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923) New Zealand author

Journal entry (July 1922), published in The Journal of Katherine Mansfield (1927)

Imagination

“I never wish to offend, but I am so foolishly shy, that I often seem negligent, when I am only kept back by my natural awkwardness."

-Edward Ferrars”

Jane Austen book Sense and Sensibility

Source: Sense and Sensibility

Nature

“The true adventurer goes forth aimless and uncalculating to meet and greet unknown fate. A fine example was the Prodigal Son—when he started back home.”

O. Henry book The Four Million

"The Green Door" http://books.google.com/books?id=dKk_AAAAYAAJ&q=%22The+true+adventurer+goes+forth+aimless+and+uncalculating+to+meet+and+greet+unknown+fate+A+fine+example+was+the+Prodigal+Son+when+he+started+back+home%22&pg=PA151#v=onepage <br class="br">The Four Million (1906)

Fate, Home

“Oh my god, I am so awesome!" Leo bellowed.
"So awesome!" Echo yelled back.
"He is funny," a nymph ventured.
"And cute, in a scrawny way," another said.
"Scrawny?" Leo asked. "Baby I invented scrawny. Scrawny is the new sizzling hot.”

Rick Riordan The Mark of Athena

Source: The Mark of Athena

God, Way, Baby

“And what about magic?”
“What about it?”
“Will you teach me?”
“You don’t even know if you’re capable of doing magic.”
“How do I find out? Is there a test or something?”
“Yes, we cut off your head. If it grows back, you can do magic.”

Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant

Source: Skulduggery Pleasant

“She looked up at him with a smile. The smile broke what was left of his resistance--shattered it. He had let the walls down when he'd thought she was gone, and there was no time to build them back up.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Angel

Source: Clockwork Angel

Smile, Time

“No miles of level desert, no jagged mountain heights, no sea of endless blue
Neither words nor tears, nor silent fears
will keep me from coming back to you.”

Lisa Kleypas (1964) American writer

Source: Again the Magic

Fear, Mountain, Tear, Sea

“The whole "weak in the knees" thing, which she always thought was just some idiotic expression back from the golden age of idiotic expressions, was real.
-Suite Scarlett”

Maureen Johnson (1973) writer from the USA

Source: Suite Scarlett

Age

“[M]emory is time folding back on itself. To remember is to disengage from the present.”

Garth Stein The Art of Racing in the Rain

Source: The Art of Racing in the Rain

Time

“I was right when I said I’d never look back. It hurts too much, it drags at your heart till you can’t ever do anything else except look back.”

Margaret Mitchell book Vom Winde verweht (1937 German edition)

Source: Gone with the Wind

Heart, Hurt

“When you love someone, it doesn't really matter if they love you back or not. Having love in your heart for someone is its own reward. or punishment, depending on the circumstances.”

Lisa Unger book Beautiful Lies

Source: Beautiful Lies

Love, Heart, Dependency

“We can retreat and retreat and let ourselves get backed into corners forever,” she’d said once. “Or we can go out and meet the enemy at the time
and place we choose. Not them.”

Okay, Tasha, I thought. Let’s see if your advice gets me killed.”

Richelle Mead Blood Promise

Source: Blood Promise

Time

“(At the back of the cave, Phoebe placed her hand against one of the stones where a spring release opened an elevator door. Chris gave an over exaggerated gape.)
Holy Hand Grenade, Batman, it’s a bat cave. (Chris)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Kiss of the Night

Spring

“The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you.”

Mary Roach book Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Source: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Way, Lying, Time, Dead

“I like libraries. It makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around me. I always feel better when I can see that there is something to hold back the shadows.”

Roger Zelazny book Nine Princes in Amber

Source: Nine Princes in Amber

Beauty, Feeling

“You are back, Cam. Which means for the first time since you left, it's okay for us to be mad at you for leaving.

- Macey”

Ally Carter Out of Sight, Out of Time

Source: Out of Sight, Out of Time

Time, Madness

“You, Lilah, scare the hell out of me."
"Why?" she whispered.
He met her gaze and held it. "Because I could fall for you, Lilah. Hard and deep and never want to come back up."
She could scarcely breathe. "What's wrong with that?"
"We'd drown.”

Jill Shalvis (1963) American writer

Source: Animal Magnetism

Hell

“It's hard to tell who has your back, from who has it long enough just to stab you in it….”

Nicole Richie (1981) American television personality, musician, actress, and author

“I took the world into me, rearranged it, and sent it back out as a question: "Do you like me?”

Jonathan Safran Foer book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Variant: We stopped laughing, I took the world into me, rearranged it, and sent it back out as a question: "Do you like me?
Source: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

World, Question

“… you expect me to fall on my back with my legs spread."
"Not necessarily…. You can fall on your hands and knees if you prefer. Or against the wall. Or on the kitchen counter. I suppose I might let you be on top, if you make it worth my while.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Strikes

“Fine," he repeated, and I wondered why it was I kept coming back to this, again and again, a word that you said when someone asked how you were but didn't really care to know the truth.”

Sarah Dessen book The Truth About Forever

Source: The Truth About Forever

Truth

“O what a blessed day that will be when I shall… stand on the shore and look back on the raging seas I have safely passed; when I shall review my pains and sorrows, my fears and tears, and possess the glory which was the end of all!”

Richard Baxter (1615–1691) English Puritan church leader, poet, and hymn-writer

Pain, Fear, Tear, Rage

“And he left. I watched him walk out – he didn’t say good-bye, he didn’t even look back. It scared me, how easy it was for him to do that.”

Sara Zarr (1970) American children's writer

Source: Sweethearts

“Looking back over a lifetime, you see that love was the answer to everything.”

Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) American writer

Love

“You know," she said, stirring her tea, "the fastest way to get him off your back is to sleep with him. And tell him you love him. Preferably while in bed."
I smirked and the tea almost came out of my nose. "He'd run like he was on fire.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Burns

Love, Way, Sleep, Tea

“I will come back as a little breeze. You will feel me on your face, and you will know that I am still listening. So you can still talk to me.”

Elizabeth Berg (1948) American novelist

Source: Talk Before Sleep

Feeling

“You teach combat, I guess.”

Aphros threw up his hands in exasperation. “Why does everyone assume that?”

Leo glanced at the massive sword on the fish-guy’s back. “Uh, I don’t know.”

Rick Riordan The Mark of Athena

Source: The Mark of Athena

Guy, Fish

“Whenever you look back and say, "If," you know you're in trouble. There's no such thing as "if." The only thing that counts is what really happened.”

D.J. MacHale book The Merchant of Death

Variant: Whenever you look back and say "if" you know you're in trouble. There is no such thing as "if". The only thing that matters is what really happened.
Source: The Merchant of Death