Quotes about course
page 8

“He sailed through the world guided only by the dim lights of impulse and habit, confident that his course would throw up no obstacles so large that they could not be plowed over with sheer force of momentum.”

Donna Tartt book The Secret History

Source: The Secret History

World, Confidence, Light

“Dimitri was on a first name basis with one of the most badass guardians around. Of course, Dimitri was pretty badass himself, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.”

Richelle Mead book Frostbite

Source: Frostbite

“The referee told me this league has never had a brawl of that magnitude," said Mr. Penderwick after a long, painful silence. "Of course, at the time I was pretending to be a casual passerby and not a father at all.”

Jeanne Birdsall (1951) American children's writer

Source: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

Pain, Silence, Time

“FOCUS - Follow One Course Until Successful”

Robert T. Kiyosaki (1947) American finance author , investor

Source: Why We Want You To Be Rich

Success

“What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero (-106–-43 BC) Roman philosopher and statesman

“Our ex-wifes always harbour secrets about us that make them irresistable. Until, of course, we remember who we are and what we did and why we are not married anymore.”

Richard Ford book The Lay of the Land

Source: The Lay of the Land

Secret

“it sounded stupid, but of course everything does when you're just getting the bare bones facts, only the basics…”

Sarah Dessen book The Truth About Forever

Source: The Truth About Forever

Stupidity

“When snow melts, what does it become?'
It becomes water, of course'
Wrong! It becomes spring!”

Natsuki Takaya (1973) Manga artist

Spring, Water

“I refer of course to the soaring wonder of the age known as the Eiffel Tower. Never in history has a structure been more technologically advanced, materially obsolescent, and gloriously pointless all at the same time.”

Bill Bryson book At Home: A Short History of Private Life

Source: At Home: A Short History of Private Life

Age, History, Time

“I know. I was hoping," I say.
"Exactly. Because you're desperate," says Haymitch.
I don't argue because, of course, he's right.”

Suzanne Collins book Catching Fire

Source: Catching Fire

Hope

“It is true of course, that I have a will of iron, but it can be switched off if the circumstances seem to demand it.”

P.G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) English author

Source: Jeeves in the Morning

“Stig: 'Of course, she'll sail rings around Wolfswind,'
Hal: 'Then why didn't you tell him that?'
Stig: 'I like my head where it is.”

John Flanagan (1873–1938) Irish-American hammer thrower

Source: The Outcasts

“Of course, the guests were also staring because they know of my relationship with Camille, and are wondering what we might be doing here in the library… alone." He wiggled his eyebrows at Tessa.”

Cassandra Clare (1973) American author

“Of course they didn't give us this much, Sage. But I had to make sure I nailed my first assignment. Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection." He paused to reconsider that. "Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try.”

Richelle Mead Bloodlines

Source: Bloodlines

Parent, Perfection

“Of course Evil's afoot. If it had switched to the metric system it'd be up to a meter by now.”

Jim Butcher (1971) American author

Evil

“I don't think Harry cares about being forgiven," Poppy said glumly.
"Of course he does. Men love to be forgiven. It makes us feel better about our inability to learn from our mistakes.”

Lisa Kleypas (1964) American writer

Source: Tempt Me at Twilight

Love, Men, Feeling, Thinking

“We sit and talk,
quietly, with long lapses of silence
and I am aware of the stream
that has no language, coursing
beneath the quiet heaven of
your eyes
which has no speech”

William Carlos Williams book Paterson

Source: Paterson

Silence

“You're already married!" Hera protested. "To me!"
"Curses!" said Zeus. "Er, I mean, of course, dear.”

Rick Riordan (1964) American writer

Source: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

“Culture, when it comes to food, is of course a fancy word for your mom.”

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

Source: In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Food, Moms

“Of course it's alright for librarians to smell of drink.”

Barbara Pym (1913–1980) British writer

Drink

“Can't repeat the past?" he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!"
He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby

Source: The Great Gatsby

Past, Housing

“The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in a single, solitary, even humble individual. For it is within the soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost.”

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) 1817-1862 American poet, essayist, naturalist, and abolitionist

Soul, History, Evil, Change

“Your life must now run the course that's been set for it.”

Kazuo Ishiguro book Never Let Me Go

Source: Never Let Me Go

Life

“He loved her, of course, but better than that, he chose her, day after day. Choice: that was the thing.”

Sherman Alexie (1966) Native American author and filmmaker

Source: The Toughest Indian in the World

Love

“Of course I can see you. I'm not blind, you know.
Oh, but you are. You just don't know it.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Bones

Source: City of Bones

“Enna leaned back her head and laughed at the sky. 'Of course he wasn't! Who could kill Razo?”

Shannon Hale Forest Born

Source: Forest Born

“We shall throw him out onto the streets, I promise you he'll be gone by morning.
Oh-no, you can't mean that-
Of course I don't. But you felt better for a moment there, didn't you?”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Angel

Source: Clockwork Angel

“Of course I saved you," she said. "I couldn't do without you." And because she was happy and flushed with magic, Holly leaned down and kissed Artemis, magic sparking around the contact like tiny fireworks.”

Eoin Colfer (1965) Irish author of children's books

Source: The Time Paradox

Happiness, Kiss

“They did not know what we can now sense as we contemplate the course of history: that change begins in the soul before it shows in our lives…”

Franz Kafka book The Great Wall of China

Source: The Great Wall of China

Soul, History, Sense, Change

“The truth's not pretty of course. No one likes to look it in the face.”

Cornelia Funke (1958) author

Truth

“Sometimes the course of our lives depends on what we do or don't do in a few seconds, a heartbeat, when we either seize the opportunity, or just miss it. Miss the moment and you never get a chance again.”

Aidan Chambers (1934) British children's writer

Source: Dying to Know You

Chance, Dependency

“We 're all yearning for a wedge of sky, aren 't we? I suspect God plants these yearnings in us so we'll at least try and change the course of things. We must try, that's all" - Lucretia Mott in The Invention of Wings
― Sue Monk Kidd”

Sue Monk Kidd (1948) Novelist

Source: The Invention of Wings

God, Change

“I wouldn't ask too much of her," I ventured. "You can't repeat the past."

"Can't repeat the past? he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!”

F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby

Source: The Great Gatsby

Past

“Why would you do that? Why would you act like you didn't know how to drive?"
"Isn't it obvious, Sage? No, of course it isn't. I did it so I'd have a reason to be around you - one I knew you couldn't refuse”

Richelle Mead (1976) American writer

“Make no mistake, those who write long books have nothing to say.
Of course those who write short books have even less to say.”

Mark Z. Danielewski book House of Leaves

Source: House of Leaves

Books

“Sometimes we are lucky enough to know that our lives have been changed, to discard the old, embrace the new, and turn headlong down an immutable course.”

Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910–1997) French naval officer, explorer, conservationist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and …

The Silent World by Capt. Jacques-Yves Cousteau with Frederic Dumas 2004 National Geographic Society, pg. 5

Change

“Oh, sure. Of course, they say now that we’ve got Freud and the motorcar, God is dead.”

“He’s not dead; just very tired.”

Libba Bray book The Diviners

Source: The Diviners

God, Dead

“You can put it another way, of course; you always can.”

Julian Barnes book The Sense of an Ending

Source: The Sense of an Ending

Way

“I tried to shake some water off. "I got a message from Angel,"i said, scanning the tunnel."She says there's massive danger down here, something too big for us to fix or deal with."
"So of course you immediately came down.”

James Patterson (1947) American author

Source: Fang

Angels, Water

“Will Solace sighed. He was, of course, tied to Nico. He propped his elbow on Nico’s shoulder as if the son of Hades were a convenient shelf.”

Rick Riordan book The Hidden Oracle

Source: The Hidden Oracle

“Coming to my rescue?'
'Of course. It's what we do. I rescue you; you rescue me. We just take turns whenever the other needs it.”

Richelle Mead book The Fiery Heart

Source: The Fiery Heart

“Do not act meanly, do not be unkind, because the time for setting things right may pass before your heart changes course.
Isabel Dalhousie”

Alexander McCall Smith book The Careful Use of Compliments

Source: The Careful Use of Compliments

Change, Time, Heart

“Of course in the present day […] the world of work begins to become — threatens to become — our only world, to the exclusion of all else. The demands of the working world grow ever more total, grasping ever more completely the whole of human existence.”

Josef Pieper (1904–1997) German philosopher

Source: Leisure, the Basis of Culture (1948), The Philosophical Act, pp. 64–65
Source: Leisure: The Basis Of Culture

World

“And of course there is always joy in witnessing the joy of others.”

David Nicholls book One Day

Source: One Day

Joy

“You're not sorry to go, of course. With people like us our home is where we are not… No one person in the world is necessary to you or to me.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald book This Side of Paradise

Source: This Side of Paradise

People, World, Home, Personality

“Vinyaya was being openly antagonistic, and that was an emotion that could be trusted, unless of course it was a bluff and the commander was a secret fan of his, unless it was a double bluff and she really did feel antagonistic.”

Eoin Colfer (1965) Irish author of children's books

Source: The Atlantis Complex

Secret, Feeling

“She stopped at the desk and held up a can for his view. "This looks like an ordinary hairspray can, right?"
"Of course." he said though he had no idea what hairspray was.”

Gena Showalter (1975) American writer

Source: Heart of the Dragon

Idea

“I have always been accused of taking the things I love - football, of course, but also books and records - much too seriously, and I do feel a kind of anger when I hear a bad record, or when someone is lukewarm about a book that means a lot to me.”

Nick Hornby Fever Pitch

Source: Fever Pitch

Love, Books, Feeling, Football

“Thisabout Tessa. I knew it was."
Will flushed, a wash of color across the pallor of this face. "Not just her."
"But you love her."
Will stared at him. "Of course I do," he said finally. "I had come to think i would never love anyone, but I love her.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Prince

Source: Clockwork Prince

Love, Color, Thinking

“It was, of course, another test. Everything in human life was a test. That was why they all looked so stressed out.”

Matt Haig (1975) British writer

Source: The Humans

Life

“Why didn’t you sleep with the headrest?”
I shrugged. “It was uncomfortable.” I looked at Sadie for support. “You didn’t use it, did you?”
Sadie rolled her eyes. “Well, of course I did. It was obviously there for a reason.”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

Support, Sleep

“Offer them what they secretly want and they of course immediately become panic-stricken.”

Jack Kerouac (1922–1969) American writer

“It's especially hard to admit that you made a mistake to your parents, because, of course, you know so much more than they do.”

Sean Covey (1964) author; business executive

Source: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide

Parent, For Parents

“Each person is only given so many evenings and each wasted evening is a gross violation against the natural course of your only life.”

Charles Bukowski (1920–1994) American writer

Life, Nature, Personality

“No, not you two. Stay here.'
'Does he just not get how unfair and sexist that is?' Eve asked. 'Men.'
'You really want to go first?'
'Of course no. But I'd like the chance toto go first.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Source: Lord of Misrule

Men, Chance

“The truth is, of course, that there is no journey. We are arriving and departing all at the same time.”

David Bowie (1947–2016) British musician, actor, record producer and arranger

Truth, Time

“In spite of the six thousand manuals on child raising in the bookstores, child raising is still a dark continent and no one really knows anything. You just need a lot of love and luck - and, of course, courage.”

Bill Cosby (1937) American actor, comedian, author, producer, musician, activist

Source: Fatherhood

Love, Courage

“… i didn't fall in love of course
it's never up to you
but she was walking back and forth
and i was passing through”

Leonard Cohen book Book of Longing

Source: Book of Longing

Love

“But if you can confront your inner demons—"

"I did confront my inner demon. I punched him in the face and he exploded."

Valkyrie had to laugh. "But now he's back."

"Of course he's back. He's resourceful. He isinner demon, after all.”

Derek Landy (1974) Irish children's writer

Source: Death Bringer

“Did you see my ninja move? That was fast, right?"
"You are not a ninja, Shane."
"I've watched all the movies. I just haven't gotten the certificate from the correspondence course yet.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

“Isn’t it obvious, Sage? No, of course it isn’t. I did it so I’d have a reason to be around you — one I knew you couldn’t refuse.”

Richelle Mead book The Golden Lily

Source: The Golden Lily

“And, of course men know best about everything, except what women know better.”

George Eliot book Middlemarch

Source: Middlemarch

Women, Men

“You wouldn't have taken Rose to such a place, would you?"

"Of course not, but she is a little girl, and I'm-"

"My life", he interrupted quietly. "You're my entire life. If anything ever happens to you, Holly, there is nothing left for me.”

Lisa Kleypas (1964) American writer

Source: Where Dreams Begin

Life, Girl

“To be independent of public opinion is the first formal condition of achieving anything great or rational whether in life or in science. Great achievement is assured, however, of subsequent recognition and grateful acceptance by public opinion, which in due course will make it one of its own prejudices”

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel book Elements of the Philosophy of Right

Sect. 318, as translated by T. M. Knox, (1952)
Elements of the Philosophy of Right (1820/1821)

Life, Science

“There was something peculiarly gratifying about shouting in a blind rage until your words ran out. Of course, the aftermath was less pleasant. Once you'd told everyone you hated them and not to come after you, where exactly did you go?”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Angel

Source: Clockwork Angel

Hate, Rage

“Let me finish my beer." (Stark)
"Of course. The end of the world can wait.(Kasabian)”

Richard Kadrey (1957) San Francisco-based novelist, freelance writer, and photographer

Source: Kill the Dead

World, Beer, Waiting

“Of course, a sign doesn't mean anything unless you know how to interpret it.”

Arthur Golden book Memoirs of a Geisha

Source: Memoirs of a Geisha

“You want the truth, of course. You want me to put two and two together. But two and two doesn’t necessarily get you the truth. Two and two equals a voice outside the window. Two and two equals the wind. The living bird is not its labeled bones.”

Margaret Atwood book The Blind Assassin

Source: The Blind Assassin

Truth, Bird

“Of course I loved books more than people.”

Diane Setterfield book The Thirteenth Tale

Source: The Thirteenth Tale

Love, People, Books

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) American clergyman, activist, and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement

Way, Suffering

“I could shove this swizzle stick through his heart, Min thought. She would'nt do it, of course. The stick was plastic and not nearly pointed enough on the end.”

Jennifer Crusie book Bet Me

Source: Bet Me

Heart

“You foolish man. Of course there's love. Don't you know? I love you.”

Susan Elizabeth Phillips (1948) American writer

Source: Kiss an Angel

Love

“Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotion know what it means to want to escape from these.”

T.S. Eliot (1888–1965) 20th century English author

Personality

“I am, of course, romanticizing; a chronic tendency of mine.”

Tana French In the Woods

Source: In the Woods

“Of course they needed to care. It was the meaning of everything.”

Lois Lowry book The Giver

Source: The Giver

“Sometimes a wind comes up, blows you off course. You’re not ready for it, but if you’re lucky, you end up in a more interesting place than you’d planned.”

Nora Roberts (1950) American romance writer

Source: The Calhouns: Suzanna & Megan

“Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?" Dionysus asked.

Yes, Lord Dionysus."

Mr. D nodded. "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on.”

Rick Riordan book The Titan's Curse

Source: The Titan's Curse

God

“And of course I'm a chauvinist, but it isn't my fault."
"It isn't?"
"No, Jack was born first and I share his genes. I can't help it if he infected me inside the womb."
Briony burst out laughing. "I should have known that would be your excuse.”

Christine Feehan book Conspiracy Game

Source: Conspiracy Game

Help

“as she
drove me through the hills everything screamed inside of
me, and I kept saying as we drove along
(to myself, of course)
fucker, it will pass,
everything passes,
it's all a joke
a joke on you”

Charles Bukowski book The People Look Like Flowers at Last

Source: The People Look Like Flowers at Last

“A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course of victory.”

Arthur Golden book Memoirs of a Geisha

Source: Memoirs of a Geisha

Victory

“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”

Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist

From a review of the revised edition of “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White published in Esquire, November 1959.

Happiness

“I will not waste my life! I will finish my course and finish it well. I will display the Gospel of the grace of God in all I do. I will run my race to the end.” - Paul”

John Piper (1946) American writer

Source: Don't Waste Your Life

Life, God

“Of course I’ve gone mad with power! Have you ever tried going mad without power? It’s boring and no one listens to you!
— Russ Cargill”

Matt Groening (1954) American cartoonist

Madness

“That's pretty hot," he said.
"Punching me in the eye?"
"Well, no. Of course not. I meant the idea of getting rough with you is hot. I'm a big fan of full-contact sports."
"I'm sure you are.”

Richelle Mead book Frostbite

Source: Frostbite

Idea, Sport

“I'm Marcus Finch. Of course I have an escape car.”

Richelle Mead (1976) American writer

Source: The Ruby Circle

Cars

“It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world.”

John Steinbeck book East of Eden

Source: East of Eden (1952)
Context: When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world.
We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.
Context: In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love. When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world.
We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.

Death, Pleasure, World