Quotes about face
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“The fact that he was willing to sacrifice his own face in order to keep mine from getting bashed in”

Meg Cabot book Teen Idol

Source: Teen Idol

“Let's face it, writing is hell.”

William Styron (1925–2006) American novelist and essayist

Hell

“I guessed his name was Face of Horror. I wondered how long it had taken his mom to think of that. Bob? No. Sam? No. How about Face of Horror?”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

Moms, Thinking

“Our souls were one, if you must know and never shall they be apart; with splendid dawn, your face aglow i reach for you and find my heart”

Nicholas Sparks book The Notebook

Source: The Notebook

Soul, Heart

“An answering smile drifted across his tanned face. "What is mine, I intend to
keep.”

Judith McNaught book A Kingdom of Dreams

Source: A Kingdom of Dreams

Smile

“I can't turn your soul on. Leave me those feelings; and you can take away the voice and the face. They are not you.”

George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion

Source: Pygmalion

Feeling, Soul

“He leans over and takes her hand. With the other he touches her face. ‘You your best thing, Sethe. You are.’ His holding fingers are holding hers.

‘Me? Me?”

Toni Morrison book Beloved

Source: Beloved

“This is the essence of intuitive heuristics: when faced with a difficult question, we often answer an easier one instead, usually without noticing the substitution.”

Daniel Kahneman book Thinking, Fast and Slow

Source: Thinking, Fast and Slow

Question

“Mephistopheles: Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it.
Think'st thou that I, who saw the face of God
And tasted the eternal joys of heaven,
Am not tormented with ten thousand hells
In being deprived of everlasting bliss?”

Christopher Marlowe The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

Source: Dr. Faustus

God, Hell, Joy

“And Lo, for the Earth was empty of Form, and void. And Darkness was all over the Face of the Deep. And We said: 'Look at that fucker Dance.”

David Foster Wallace book Infinite Jest

Source: Infinite Jest

Dance

“How I long to see
among dawn flowers,
the face of God.”

Bashō Matsuo (1644–1694) Japanese poet

Source: Haiku

God, Flowers

“The anguish I always feel when she's in pain wells up in my chest and threatens to register on my face.”

Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games

Source: The Hunger Games

Pain, Feeling

“Why the hell would I bring?" she exclaimed. All her anger turned at his presumption. It was a sign of her agitation that she'd sworn.
"Because," he said, face calm, "I can teach you how to stake a Strigoi."
"THE HELL YOU CAN," I said aloud to no one.”

Richelle Mead book Spirit Bound

Source: Spirit Bound

Hell, Anger

“Frighteningly Beautiful, Dangerously Strong, Breathtakingly Fast.
Face it Tally-wa you're special…”

Scott Westerfeld (1963) American science fiction writer

Source: The Uglies Trilogy

Beauty, Strong

“… there were certain chapters when I stopped writing, saw the domestic situation I was in and thought, "I don't want to face this world, let's get back to the hellish one I'm imagining.”

Alasdair Gray (1934–2019) Scottish writer and artist

World, Imagination

“God wants us to know we are saved, for saved people are dangerous people, willing to face off with the world, unafraid of the consequences since they know that, whatever happens, they will have eternal life.”

Max Lucado (1955) American clergyman and writer

Source: Max on Life: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions

Life, God, People, World

“My face felt like my normal face, as if that part of me hadn’t transformed into a bird. [Fine, Sadie. Call me the Carter-headed chicken. Happy? ]”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

Bird, Parting, Happiness

“She studied my face for a long minute. "Are you going to help my mom?" It was a simple question. But how do you tell a child that things just aren't that simple, that some questions don't have simple answers--or any answer at all?”

Jim Butcher book Storm Front

Source: Storm Front

Moms, Question, Study, Help

“It is much harder to lie to someone's face.
But.
It is also much harder to tell the truth to someone's face.”

David Levithan (1972) American author and editor

Source: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Truth, Lie

“Let's face it - with a few exceptions, nobody likes anybody.”

David Lubar book Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

Source: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

“There are few phrases that annoy me more than I won't bite. The only line that pisses me off faster is when some drunk, ham-faced dude in a bar sees me trying to get past him and barks: Smile, it can't be that bad! Yeah, actually, it can, jackwad.”

Gillian Flynn book Dark Places

Source: Dark Places

Smile, Past

“When I face the desolate impossibility of writing five hundred pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me, and I know I can never do it. Then gradually, I write one page and then another. One day's work is all I can permit myself to contemplate.”

John Steinbeck book Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Source: Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Failure, Sense

“She would wonder what had hurt her when she found her face wet with tears, and then would wonder how she could have been hurt without knowing it.”

George MacDonald book The Day Boy and the Night Girl

Source: The Day Boy and the Night Girl

Tear, Hurt

“Face your fears or they will climb over your back.”

Frank Herbert book Chapterhouse: Dune

Source: Chapterhouse: Dune

Fear

“Of course to adhere to standards, to idealism, to vision in the face of immediate dangers takes great courage and takes self-confidence. But we also know that only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.”

Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968) American politician and brother of John F. Kennedy

Day of Affirmation Address (1966)
Context: The second danger is that of expediency: of those who say that hopes and beliefs must bend before immediate necessities. Of course, if we must act effectively we must deal with the world as it is. We must get things done. But if there was one thing that President Kennedy stood for that touched the most profound feeling of young people around the world, it was the belief that idealism, high aspirations, and deep convictions are not incompatible with the most practical and efficient of programs — that there is no basic inconsistency between ideals and realistic possibilities, no separation between the deepest desires of heart and of mind and the rational application of human effort to human problems. It is not realistic or hardheaded to solve problems and take action unguided by ultimate moral aims and values, although we all know some who claim that it is so. In my judgment, it is thoughtless folly. For it ignores the realities of human faith and of passion and of belief — forces ultimately more powerful than all of the calculations of our economists or of our generals. Of course to adhere to standards, to idealism, to vision in the face of immediate dangers takes great courage and takes self-confidence. But we also know that only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.

Confidence, Courage, Self-confidence

“Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day. That was the business of hiding a Jew.”

Markus Zusak book The Book Thief

Variant: Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day.
Source: The Book Thief

Smile, Imagination, Business, Thinking

“Deadlines just aren't real to me until I'm staring one in the face.”

Rick Riordan book The Lightning Thief

Source: The Lightning Thief

“They erase my face with a layer of pale makeup and draw my features back out.”

Suzanne Collins book Catching Fire

Source: Catching Fire

Drawing

“There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;”

T.S. Eliot The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (1915)
Context: There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands,
That lift and drop a question on your plate;
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

Time

“when faced with a problem you do not understand, do any part of it you do understand, then look at it again.”

Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988) American science fiction author

Understanding, Problem, Parting

“We still should have enough time to reach Rome.”
Hazel scowled. “When you say…”
Leo shrugged. “How do you feel about?”
Hazel put her face in her hands for a count of three. “Sounds about typical for us.”

Rick Riordan The Mark of Athena

Source: The Mark of Athena

Feeling, Time

“He's a two-faced, cutthroat, dirt-dumb, chickenshit, slimy little bastard… with a bright future in politics.”

John Grisham book The Confession

Source: Attorney Robbie Flak speaking of the (fictional) Governor of Texas, The Confession, Ch. 12 (2010)

Future

“We faced it and did not resist. The storm passed through us and around us. It's gone, but we remain.”

Frank Herbert book Dune

Source: Dune

“When you lose your face…, it is like dropping your necklace down a well. The only way you can get it back is to fall in after it.”

Amy Tan The Joy Luck Club

Source: The Joy Luck Club

Way

“I hate myself for loving you and the weakness that it showed. You were just a painted face on a trip down to suicide road.”

Bob Dylan (1941) American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and artist

Love, Hate, Suicide, Painting

“I like what you've done to your face," Ben said, tapping his eye.”

Patricia Briggs book Blood Bound

Source: Blood Bound

“When she saw him face to face their eyes met and brushed like birds’ wings. After that everything was all right, everything was wonderful, she knew that he was beginning to fall in love with her.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald book Tender Is the Night

Source: Tender Is the Night

Love, Bird

“For a Hero cannot triumph all the time. Sometimes he will be defeated, and how he faces that defeat is a test of his character.”

Cressida Cowell book How to Steal a Dragon's Sword

Source: How to Steal a Dragon's Sword

Time

“Evil is no faceless stranger, living in a distant neighborhood. Evil has a wholesome, hometown face, with merry eyes and an open smile. Evil walks among us, wearing a mask which looks like all our faces.”

Dean Koontz (1945) American author

Smile, Distant, Evil

“Oh, Eva." He rubbed his cheek against my damp face. "I must've wished for you so hard and so often you had no choice but to come true.”

Sylvia Day book Bared to You

Source: Bared to You

“Even if I thought he as perfect for her." She turned to face him. "What were we thinking?"

"We weren't," he said. "We were in love.”

Nicholas Sparks book The Best of Me

Source: The Best of Me

Love, Thinking, Perfection

“To be or not to be?' That is not the question. What is the question? The question is not one of being, but of becoming. 'To become more or not to become more' This is the question faced by each intelligence in our universe.”

Truman G. Madsen (1926–2009) American educator

Source: Eternal Man

Intelligence, Question, Universe

“He groaned and I saw his face. "Curran!" I would've preferred a homicidal lunatic. Oh, wait…”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Strikes

Waiting

“We Deveauxs preferred to talk you to death, rather than face you in physical combat.”

Maureen Johnson (1973) writer from the USA

Source: The Name of the Star

Death

“Most people believe me when I lie. I've learned how to say the words just right. I have a trusting kind of face. But the boy in front of me was a trained operative, so Zach knew better. And besides, Zach new me.”

Ally Carter (1974) American writer

People, Lie, Boy, Learning

“You don't have to be afraid of looking into my face. We've done nothing to each other that time will not erase.”

Bob Dylan (1941) American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and artist

Time

“Who are you?" because even now, she couldn't let her questions go. "What are you?"
That face that wasn't a face smiled. It was the most terrible thing she'd ever see, ever. "Magnus" he said. "I'm the end.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Source: Last Breath

Smile, Question

“A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.”

Francis Bacon book Essays

Of Friendship
Essays (1625)

Love

“I never guessed I could cry so hard my face hurt.”

Vernor Vinge A Fire Upon the Deep (1st edition)

Source: A Fire Upon the Deep

Hurt, Cry

“He had a dashing smile. It nearly dashed right off his face.”

Shannon Hale book Austenland

Source: Austenland

Smile

“Now and then sprays of rain flew over and misted our faces. Every time I refused to wipe away the wetness. It made the world seem so alive to me. I couldn't help but envy the way a good storm got everyone's attention.”

Sue Monk Kidd book The Secret Life of Bees

Source: The Secret Life of Bees

World, Way, Time, Help

“I have a little dog who likes to nap with me.
He climbs on my body and puts his face in my neck.
He is sweeter than soap.
He is more wonderful than a diamond necklace,
which can't even bark…”

Mary Oliver (1935–2019) American writer

Dogs

“FEAR stands for face everything and recover – Old AA saying”

Stephen King book Doctor Sleep

Variant: FEAR stands for fuck everything and run.
Source: Doctor Sleep

Fear

“A million faces at my feet but all I see are dark eyes.”

Bob Dylan (1941) American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and artist

Song lyrics, Empire Burlesque (1985), Dark Eyes
Variant: All I see are dark eyes.

“The man glanced down and made a face. "I see that many pigeons have pooped upon these stairs," he remarked. "I shall remain standing, if that's not too rude.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Heavenly Fire

Source: City of Heavenly Fire

“Could I just use the loo?” I asked the nice officer.
“No.” She closed the door in my face, As if I might rig an explosion in the toilet. Honestly.”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

“The light of love, the purity of grace,
The mind, the music breathing from her face, 19
The heart whose softness harmonized the whole,—
And oh, that eye was in itself a soul!”

George Gordon Byron book The Bride of Abydos

Canto I, Stanza 6; this can be compared to: "The bloom of young Desire and purple light of Love", Thomas Gray, The Progress of Poesy I. 3, line 16; also: "Oh, could you view the melody / Of every grace / And music of her face", Richard Lovelace, Orpheus to Beasts; "There is music in the beauty, and the silent note which Cupid strikes, far sweeter than the sound of an instrument", Thomas Browne, Religio Medici, Part ii, Section ix.
The Bride of Abydos (1813)

Love, Music, Soul, Light

“I sometimes look into the face of my dog Stan and see a wistful sadness and existential angst, when all he is actually doing is slowly scanning the ceiling for flies.”

Merrill Markoe (1948) American writer

Sadness, Dogs

“Then Alec had smiled at one of Magnus’s jokes, and the smile had lit a lamp in his solemn face, making his blue eyes brilliant, and briefly taking Magnus’s breath away”

Cassandra Clare (1973) American author

Source: What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything

Smile

“Helplessness in the face of a child's suffering is the curse of parenthood.”

Nancy Atherton (1955) American writer

Source: Aunt Dimity's Good Deed

Suffering

“If something happened to me, whose face will be on the front page of the paper begging for me? Is a person worth more because they have someone to grieve for them?”

Melina Marchetta book On the Jellicoe Road

Source: On the Jellicoe Road

Personality

“Don't try to understand me, just be grateful that you felt the warmth of Zaphod Beeblebrox's aura on your wonderstruck face.”

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

Understanding

“Amos sipped his coffee. The faraway look on his face reminded me of my dad. “I don’t want to scare you.”
“Too late.”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

Coffee

“Damn, Claire. Warn a guy before you do a face-plant on the floor next time. I could have looked all heroic and caught you or something -Shane”

Rachel Caine book Glass Houses

Source: Glass Houses

Funny, Guy, Time

“each man's hell is in a different place:
mine is just up and behind
my ruined face.”

Charles Bukowski (1920–1994) American writer

Variant: each man's hell is in a different
place: mine is just up and
behind
my ruined
face.
--from Let's Make a Deal
Source: You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense

Hell