Quotes about well
page 17

“Well.. Is that all you've got?.. I hope not.. cuz you haven't finished entertaining me yet..
-Gaara to Rock Lee during the Chunin preliminary”

Masashi Kishimoto (1974) Japanese manga artist

Hope

“I will not wait to love as best as I can. We thought we were young and that there would be time to love well sometime in the future. This is a terrible way to think. It is no way to live, to wait to love.”

Dave Eggers book What Is the What

Variant: If I ever fall in love again, I will not wait to love as best as I can. We thought we were young and that there would be time to love well sometime in the future. This is a terrible way to think. It is no way to live, to wait to love.
Source: What is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng (2006), Ch. 21, pp. 317-318
Source: What Is the What
Context: I cannot count the times I have cursed our lack of urgency. If I ever love again, I will not wait to love as best as I can. We thought we were young and that there would be time to love well sometime in the future. This is a terrible way to think. It is no way to live, to wait to love.

Love, Way, Thinking, Time

“When you see the Crooked Warden," said Locke, twisting something in his hands, "tell him that Lock Lamora learns slowly, but he learns well. And when you see my friends, you tell them that there are more of you on the way.”

Scott Lynch The Lies of Locke Lamora

Source: The Lies of Locke Lamora

Way, Learning

“Hang on - Slow down. I'm not going anywhere. You know that, right? You don't have to put out to keep me here. Well, as long as you eventually…" Shane said.

"Shut up" Claire said.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Variant: Shane talking to Claire -

"Hang on - Slow down. I'm not going anywhere. You know that, right? You don't have to put out to keep me here. Well, as long as you eventually..."
"Shut up" Claire said.
Source: The Dead Girls' Dance

“I can't eat and I can't sleep. I'm not doing well in terms of being a functional human, you know?”

Ned Vizzini book It's Kind of a Funny Story

Variant: I'm not doing well in terms of being a functional human.
Source: It's Kind of a Funny Story

Sleep, Sad

“Well," Claire said, "at least we have tacos. Everything goes better with tacos.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Source: Bitter Blood

“And if I was humming "Happy Birthday" and smiling stupidly as I fled for my life—well, that was nobody's business, was it?”

Rick Riordan (1964) American writer

Life, Happiness, Smile, Birthday

“In any event, parents never underestimated the abilities of their own children. Quite the reverse. Sometimes it was well nigh impossible for a teacher to convince the proud father or mother that their beloved offspring was a complete nitwit.”

Roald Dahl book Matilda

Source: Matilda

Children, Parent, Teachers

“I think writers are the most narcissistic people. Well, I musn't say this, I like many of them, a great many of my friends are writers.”

Sylvia Plath (1932–1963) American poet, novelist and short story writer

People, Thinking

“It has been well said that an author who expects results from a first novel is in a position similar to that of a man who drops a rose petal down the Grand Canyon of Arizona and listens for the echo.”

P.G. Wodehouse book Cocktail Time

Source: Cocktail Time (1958)

“I'm sorry about the dinner."
"Best date ever. Well, until people died and vampires showed up. But before that it was awesome.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Gifts

People

“If my activism, however well-motivated, drives out love, then I have misunderstood Jesus’ gospel. I am stuck with law, not the gospel of grace.”

Philip Yancey (1949) American writer

Love, Law, Motivation

“Well now, Jack," Hastings said from the sidelines. "I'm afraid you've been beheaded. Not a good start." He sounded amused.”

Cinda Williams Chima (1952) Novelist

Source: The Warrior Heir

“The silence grew deeper, so deep that if you listened carefully you might very well catch the sound of the earth revolving on its axis.”

Haruki Murakami book Kafka on the Shore

Source: Kafka on the Shore

Silence

“I'm not a teacher: only a fellow traveler of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead - ahead of myself as well as you.”

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish playwright

Way, Travel, Teachers

“I had them all fooled into believing I was normal and well-adjusted, a rock of sensibility who could always be counted on to have a positive attitude.”

Sara Zarr (1970) American children's writer

Source: Sweethearts

Fools

“One can no more keep the mind from returning to an idea than the sea from returning to a shore. For a sailor, this is called the tide; in the case of the guilty it is called remorse. God stirs up the soul as well as the ocean.”

Victor Hugo book Les Misérables

Source: Les Misérables

God, Soul, Idea, Sea

“I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it.”

Ernest Hemingway book A Moveable Feast

As quoted in Reporting (1964) by Lillian Ross
Source: A Moveable Feast

Spring, Learning, Parting, Night

“There are good sailors. Well, some good sailors. In a way they are ideal as husbands. They drop in every six months for a wild celebration, then they drop out again before one gets bored with their company or annoyed with by their habits.”

Kerry Greenwood (1954) Australian crime writer

Source: Queen of the Flowers

Way

“Ignorance is not stupidity, but it might as well be.”

Lois McMaster Bujold The Curse of Chalion

Source: World of the Five Gods series, The Curse of Chalion (2000), p. 316

Stupidity

“So when a dragon is directly over you, well, even if you're me and you're kind of used to it, your medulla oblongata is still telling you 'the sky is falling, you're about to die, run like hell.”

Robin McKinley Dragonhaven

Source: Dragonhaven

Hell

“There is one other reason for dressing well, namely that dogs respect it, and will not attack you in good clothes.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American philosopher, essayist, and poet

Dogs, Clothes

“Yeah, well,” Nico said, “not giving people a second thought…that can be dangerous.”

Rick Riordan book The House of Hades

Source: The House of Hades

People

“No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the greater part of the members are poor and miserable. It is but equity, besides, that they who feed, cloath and lodge the whole body of the people, should have such a share of the produce of their own labour as to be themselves tolerably well fed, clothed, and lodged.”

Adam Smith (1723–1790) Scottish moral philosopher and political economist

Source: (1776), Book I, Chapter VIII, p. 94.

Happiness, People, Parting, Clothes

“It's all your fault, Mother,' said Larry austerely; 'you shouldn't have brought us up to be so selfish.' 'I like that!' exclaimed Mother. 'I never did anything of the sort!' 'Well, we didn't get as selfish as this without some guidance,' said Larry.”

Gerald Durrell book My Family and Other Animals

Source: My Family and Other Animals

Selfishness

“a problem well put is half solved.”

John Dewey (1859–1952) American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer

“The Pattern of Inquiry” from Logic: Theory of Inquiry
Logic: Theory of Inquiry (1938)
Variant: It is a familiar and significant saying that a problem well put is half-solved.

Problem

“Well, the family always was bright, and brightness, as you know, decays brilliantly.”

Gregory Maguire book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Source: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Family

“Three things trust and cherish well-
The horse on which you ride,
The beast that guards and watches,
And your shield-mate at your side.”

Mercedes Lackey book By the Sword

Source: By the Sword

Horse

“Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they please.”

Pythagoras (-585–-495 BC) ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher

As quoted in The World's Laconics: Or, The Best Thoughts of the Best Authors (1853) by Everard Berkeley
Variant: Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they will.

Powerful

“I've always envied people who sleep easily. Their brains must be cleaner, the floorboards of the skull well swept, all the little monsters closed up in a steamer trunk at the foot of the bed.”

David Benioff book City of Thieves

Source: City of Thieves

People, Sleep, Envy

“Only fanatics — in religion as well as in politics — can find a meaning in someone else’s death.”

Elie Wiesel (1928–2016) writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, and Holocaust survivor

Source: The Judges

Death, Religion

“Did you really think I was too fragile to know what Deryn was?"

"Fragile?" Volger looked about. "I hadn't thought so, but now I find you brooding in a bathroom. This doesn't speak well of your sturdiness.”

Scott Westerfeld book Goliath

Source: Goliath

Thinking

“I cannot think well of a man who sports with any woman's feelings; and there may often be a great deal more suffered than a stander-by can judge of.”

Jane Austen (1775–1817) English novelist

Feeling, Thinking, Sport, Suffering

“Well, people got attatched. Once you cut the umbilical cord they attatched to the other things. Sight, sound, sex, money, mirages, mothers, masturbation, murder, and Monday morning hangovers.”

Charles Bukowski (1920–1994) American writer

Money, People, Sex

“You hate change. I hate it too. But things can't stay the same- and that's well, for when nothing changes in your life, it's as good as being dead”

Brandon Sanderson (1975) American fantasy writer

Source: The Hero of Ages

Life, Hate, Change, Dead

“People always ask me, 'Were you funny as a child?' Well, no, I was an accountant.”

Ellen DeGeneres (1958) American stand-up comedian, television host, and actress

People

“Running is about finding your inner peace, and so is a life well lived.”

Dean Karnazes (1962) American distance runner

Life, Peace

“Well, not in this case. He reached into the Inquisitor and he…" Clary shuddered. "There was a lot of blood."
"Like a special bonus for you," Jace said to Simon.
Simon ignored this.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Glass

Source: City of Glass

“It was not well to drive men into final corners; at those moments they could all develop teeth and claws.”

Stephen Crane book The Red Badge of Courage

Source: The Red Badge of Courage

Men

“I realized how truly hard it was, really, to see someone you love change right before your eyes. Not only is it scary, it throws your balance off as well.”

Sarah Dessen book The Truth About Forever

Source: The Truth About Forever

Love, Change

“He was well aware that of the two of three thousand times he had made love (how many times had he made love in his life?) only two or three were really essential and unforgettable. The rest were mere echoes, imitations, repetitions, or reminiscences.”

Milan Kundera book The Book of Laughter and Forgetting

Source: The Book of Laughter and Forgetting

Love, Life, Time

“Oh well, perhaps when you're my age you'll know the heart is an untrustworthy beast. The mind too, but it doesn't talk about love.”

Graham Greene book The Power and the Glory

Source: The Power and the Glory

Love, Age, Heart

“Ouch,” Jace said in her ear, his tone indignant. “You elbowed me.”
“Well, you landed on me.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Bones

Source: City of Bones

“Love didn't grow very well in a place where there was only fear”

Stephen King book The Stand

Source: The Stand

Love, Fear

“My idea of good company… is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.'
'You are mistaken,' said he gently, 'that is not good company, that is the best.”

Jane Austen book Persuasion

Source: Persuasion

People, Idea

“Yeah, well, I guess I feel like all of us misfits need to hang together. At least that way we don't swing along. (Tabitha)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Seize the Night

Way, Feeling

“You know I'm old in some ways-in others-well, I'm just a little girl. I like sunshine and pretty things and cheerfulness-and I dread responsibility.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald book This Side of Paradise

Source: This Side of Paradise

Way, Girl

“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." (Adrian)”

Richelle Mead Bloodlines

Source: Bloodlines

Parent, Perfection

“Yeah, well, we're all writers, aren't we? He's a writer that hasn't been published, and I'm a writer who hasn't written anything.”

Steve Martin (1945) American actor, comedian, musician, author, playwright, and producer

Source: Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Other Plays

“I loved this woman the way you love… well, nothing," he said, a note of suprise in his voice. "You can’t compare that kind of love to anything, can you? It’s its own unique gift.”

Dennis Lehane book Shutter Island

Source: Shutter Island

Love, Way

“The future is now. It's time to grow up and be strong. Tomorrow may well be too late.”

Neil LaBute (1963) Film director, playwright, screenwriter

Source: Reasons to Be Pretty

Strong, Time, Future

“Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and a cold bottle of beer.”

Tom Robbins book Jitterbug Perfume

Source: Jitterbug Perfume

Soul, Beer

“A well-thought-out story doesn’t need to resemble real life. Life itself tries with all its might to resemble a well-crafted story.”

Isaac Babel (1894–1940) Russian language journalist, playwright, literary translator, and short story writer

Life

“You'll often hear the phrase "science doesn't know everything." Well, of course it doesn't know everything. But just because science doesn't know everything doesn't mean that it knows nothing.”

Stephen Fry (1957) English comedian, actor, writer, presenter, and activist

Science

“Well, I try my best to be just like I am,
But everybody wants you to be just like them,
They sing while you slave and I just get bored”

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

Song lyrics, The Essential Bob Dylan (2000), Maggie's Farm
Variant: Well I tried my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants you to be just like them

Singing

“If chaos is a necessary step in the organization of one's universe, then I was well on my way.”

Wendelin Van Draanen Flipped

Source: Flipped

Way, Universe

“I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you.”

Annie Dillard (1945) American writer

Thinking

“I had someone at the Houston police station shoot me with heroin so I could do a story about it. The experience was a special kind of hell. I came out understanding full well how one could be addicted to 'smack,' and quickly.”

Dan Rather (1931) Journalist, Anchor

Hell, Understanding

“The man watched him. Real life is pretty bad?

What do you think?

Well, I think we're still here. A lot of bad things have happened but we're still here.

Yeah.

You don't think that's so great.

It's okay.”

Cormac McCarthy book The Road

Source: The Road

Life, Thinking

“So all you want is a kiss?" I asked. A little voice in my head said I was heading for one of those slippery slopes. I told the little voice to shut up.
"Well, maybe more than one. But basically, yeah.”

Jenna Black (1965) American writer

Source: Glimmerglass

Kiss

“I glanced up to see Liz and smiled. "Thank you."

"I just went along for the ride. After that happened-" She waved at Derek. "You know how blind people need Seeing Eye dogs? Well, apparently werewolves could really use Opening Door poltergeists.”

Kelley Armstrong The Reckoning

Source: The Reckoning

People, Smile, Dogs

“How do you politely explain to someone that you had believed for years he was a moron as well as a Fool?
Fitz in Assassin's Apprentice”

Robin Hobb book Assassin's Apprentice

Source: Assassin's Apprentice

Fools

“She wanted to lunge over and kiss him. Well, ew, not really, maybe a hug. Or a hanshake.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Source: Ghost Town

Kiss

“Will raised both eyebrows. 'Well, you learn a new thing everyday,' he said reflectively.

'In your case, that's no exaggeration,' Halt said, completely straight-faced.”

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

Source: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja

Learning

“I'm Magnus." He smiled, showing blinding white teeth.
"Magnus Bane."
"Are we long-lost friends, by any chance?" Simon said.
"Just wondering."
"No, we never got along all that well," said Magnus.
"Long-lost acquaintances? Compadres? My cat liked you.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Heavenly Fire

Source: City of Heavenly Fire

Smile, Cats, Chance

“Well there you go. Even a psychopath recognized your worth enough to want to kill someone else first."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.”

Richelle Mead Bloodlines

Source: Bloodlines

Cry

“The life given us, by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal.”

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

Life, Nature, Memory

“Her imagination painted Georgie twenty years later, sitting in leg irons before some Broken psychiatrist. "Well, you see, it all started with bubbles…”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: On the Edge

Imagination, Painting

“People weighed down with troubles do not look back; they know only too well that misfortune stalks them.”

Victor Hugo book Les Misérables

Source: Les Misérables

People

“Well, uhm, would you like to play in the sandbo-… er, I mean, want to participate on our group research on sand resistance?

-Akatsuki”

Matsuri Hino Japanese manga artist

Source: ヴァンパイア騎士 10

“Really, I'm trying to care, Artemis, really. But I thought it was all supposed to be over when the fat lady sings. Well, she's singing, but it doesn't appear to be over”

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

Appearance, Singing

“I think the main reason my marriages failed is that I always loved too well but never wisely.”

Ava Gardner (1922–1990) American actress

Love, Marriage, Thinking

“My brief flash of relief and confidence melted away. Good thing it did, too. I'm sure the world would come to an end if I were allowed to feel a sense of relief and well-being for any length of time.”

Jim Butcher Dead Beat

Source: Dead Beat

World, Feeling, Confidence, Sense

“Nobody knows you as well as our spouse. And that means no one will be quicker to recognize a change when you deliberately start sacrificing your wants and wishes to make sure his or her needs are met.”

Stephen Kendrick book The Love Dare

Source: The Love Dare

Change

“Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well.”

Mark Haddon (1962) English writer and illustrator

Books, Reading

“At the moment, he kinda knew how the male praying mantis felt when he
was approaching Ms. Mantis, knowing the sex was going to be great but he was going to gethis head bitten off.
Ah, well. Some things were worth losing your head.”

Linda Howard (1950) American writer

Source: Mr. Perfect

Sex

“The life you save may very well be your own.”

Flannery O’Connor (1925–1964) American novelist, short story writer

Life

“Take it from me, there's nothing like a job well done. Except the quiet enveloping darkness at the bottom of a bottle of Jim Beam after a job done any way at all.”

Stephen Colbert (1964) American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor

Way

“Maybe if he did really well they'd give him some mouldy apples.”

Rick Riordan book The Son of Neptune

Source: The Son of Neptune

“Well, I guess I can wait two weeks then."
"for what?"
"to ask her out”

Richelle Mead (1976) American writer

Waiting

“Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance.”

David Nicholls book One Day

Variant: Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance
Source: One Day

Love, Passion, Chance

“Well, you've finally got a license to kill. It's about time.”

Richelle Mead book Spirit Bound

Variant: So they finally gave you the license to kill, about time.
Source: Spirit Bound

Time