Quotes about well
page 21

“I can’t believe this night. I was supposed to be applauded and instead, I’m ruined. I swear to God in heaven if I ever see that man again, I will commit murder. (Tory)
Well, if you need help moving the body, you know where Kim and I live. (Pam)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Acheron

God, Help, Night

“Jace: 'I don't like keeping her in the dark.'
Sebastian: 'We'll tell her in a week. What difference does a week make?'
Jace: 'Two weeks ago you were dead.'
Sebastian: 'Well, I wasn't suggestingweeks. That would be insane.”

Cassandra Clare The City of Lost Souls

Variant: I don’t like keeping her in the dark,” Jace said.
“We’ll tell her in a week. What difference does a week make?”
Jace gave him a look. “Two weeks ago you were dead.”
“Well, I wasn’t suggesting two weeks,” said Sebastian. “That would be insane.
Source: City of Lost Souls

Dead

“Well, I know now. I know a little more how much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean to a person”

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

Source: The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

Personality

“As long as a thing is unknown, it belongs to us in a way that well-known things do not. For we have the opportunity to fill the empty, unknown spaces for ourselves, and in them there is room for imagination and for hope.”

Cameron Dokey (1956) American writer

Hope, Way, Imagination

“A man is whole only when he takes into account his shadow as well as himself — and what is a man's shadow but his upright astonishment?”

Djuna Barnes book Nightwood

Source: Nightwood (1936), Ch. 6 : Where the Tree Falls

“It means we're on your side." That's what Bonnie said. I have people on my side? What side? Am I unwittingly the face of the hoped-for rebellion? Has the mockingjay on my pin become a symbol of resistance? If so, my side's not doing too well.”

Suzanne Collins book Catching Fire

Source: Catching Fire

People, Hope

“In politics, my dear fellow, you know, as well as I do, there are no men, but ideas — no feelings, but interests; in politics we do not kill a man, we only remove an obstacle, that is all.”

Alexandre Dumas book The Count of Monte Cristo

Source: The Count of Monte Cristo

Men, Feeling, Idea

“And yet
to wine, to opium even, I prefer
the elixir of your lips on which love flaunts itself;
and in the wasteland of desire
your eyes afford the wells to slake my thirst.”

Charles Baudelaire book Les Fleurs du mal

Source: Les Fleurs du Mal

Love, Wine

“Imperialism leaves behind germs of rot which we must clinically detect and remove from our land but from our minds as well.”

Frantz Fanon (1925–1961) Martiniquais writer, psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary

“You only have one life, but if you live it well, that’s enough. The only reality is now, today. What are you waiting for to be happy?”

Isabel Allende (1942) Chilean writer

Source: The Japanese Lover

Life, Happiness, Reality, Waiting

“So books are real to me, too; they link me not just with other minds but with the vision of other minds, what those minds understand and see. I see their worlds as well as I see my own.”

Philip K. Dick The Transmigration of Timothy Archer

Source: The Transmigration of Timothy Archer

Books, World, Understanding

“We do not wait for inspiration. We work because we've jolly well got to. But when all is said and done, we toil at this particular job because it's turned out to be our particular job, and in a weird sort of way I suppose we may be said to like it.”

Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982) New Zealand writer

Source: Ngaio Marsh: A Life

Way, Waiting

“Life isn't a romance novel. The truth is, the reason romance novels sell so well ---- the reason why everyone loves them ---- is because no one's life is actually like that. Everyone WANTS their life to be like that.”

Meg Cabot (1967) Novelist

Source: Forever Princess

Love, Life, Truth

“You are safe," he said firmly. "You have my name and my family, my clan, and if necessary, the protection of my body as well. The man willna lay hands on ye again, while I live.”

Diana Gabaldon book Outlander

Source: Outlander

Family

“How to Overthrow the System: brew your own beer; kick in your Tee Vee; kill your own beef; build your own cabin and piss off the front porch whenever you bloody well feel like it.”

Edward Abbey (1927–1989) American author and essayist

Feeling, Beer

“If I'm walking on thin ice, I might as well dance my way across.”

Mercedes Lackey (1950) American novelist and short story writer

Way, Dance

“Well chaps first I'd like to say a few vile things more or less at random, not only because it is expected of me but also because I enjoy it.”

Donald Barthelme book Snow White

Source: Snow White

“Your uncle," Poseidon sighed, "has always had a flair for dramatic exits. I think he would've done well as the god of theater.”

Rick Riordan book The Lightning Thief

Source: The Lightning Thief

God, Thinking

“Every limit is a beginning as well as an ending.”

George Eliot book Middlemarch

Source: Middlemarch (1871)
Context: Every limit is a beginning as well as an ending. Who can quit young lives after being long in company with them, and not desire to know what befell them in their after-years? For the fragment of a life, however typical, is not the sample of an even web: promises may not be kept, and an ardent outset may be followed by declension; latent powers may find their long-waited opportunity; a past error may urge a grand retrieval.

“The point is not that I don't recognise bad people when I see them — I grant you I may quite well be taken in by them — the point is that I know a good person when I see one.”

Enid Blyton (1897–1968) author

Source: The Rubadub Mystery

People, Personality

“I love my liberty too well to be in a hurry to give it up for any mortal man.”

Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) American novelist

Love

“If you are pitched into misery, remember that your days on this earth are counted and you might as well make the best of those you have left.”

Yann Martel book Beatrice and Virgil

Source: Beatrice and Virgil

“You’re the one who unleashed him. (Savitar)
Yeah, well, let’s move on from the blame game. I was having suicidal thoughts and it seemed like a good idea at the time. In retrospect, not so much. (Stryker)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: One Silent Night

Game, Idea, Suicide, Time

“I'm brilliant as well as skilled," he said modestly. "It's a great burden, all of that on top of my angelic good looks. But I try to soldier on as best I can.”

Jim Butcher Dead Beat

Source: Dead Beat

Angels

“Right, well, we've got to work out what we need. We've got to work out what we need, how we get it, and what we need to get to get what we need.”

Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant

Source: Skulduggery Pleasant

“Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.”

John Quincy Adams (1767–1848) American politician, 6th president of the United States (in office from 1825 to 1829)

Independence Day address (1821)
Context: America, in the assembly of nations, since her admission among them, has invariably, though often fruitlessly, held forth to them the hand of honest friendship, of equal freedom, of generous reciprocity. She has uniformly spoken among them, though often to heedless and often to disdainful ears, the language of equal liberty, of equal justice, and of equal rights. She has, in the lapse of nearly half a century, without a single exception, respected the independence of other nations while asserting and maintaining her own. She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart. She has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right. Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example. She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force. The frontlet on her brows would no longer beam with the ineffable splendor of freedom and independence; but in its stead would soon be substituted an imperial diadem, flashing in false and tarnished lustre the murky radiance of dominion and power. She might become the dictatress of the world; she would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit.... Her glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind. She has a spear and a shield: but the motto upon her shield is, Freedom, Independence, Peace. This has been her Declaration: this has been, as far as her necessary intercourse with the rest of mankind would permit, her practice.

Search, Freedom, Heart

“Einmal ist keinmal, says Tomas to himself. What happens but once, says the German adage, might as well not have happened at all. If we have only one life to live, we might as well not have lived at all.”

Milan Kundera book The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Source: The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Life

“Common sense is the most widely shared commodity in the world, for every man is convinced that he is well supplied with it.”

René Descartes (1596–1650) French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist

World, Sense

“Human passions have mysterious ways, in children as well as grown-ups. Those affected by them can’t explain them, and those who haven’t known them have no understanding of them at all.”

Michael Ende book The Neverending Story

Source: The Neverending Story

Children, Way, Understanding, Passion

“Words used carelessly, as if they did not matter in any serious way, often allowed otherwise well-guarded truths to seep through.”

Douglas Adams The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Source: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Truth, Way

“Look, I know you meant well creating the world and all, but how could you let it get away from you like this? How come you couldn't stick with your original idea of paradise? People's lives were a mess.”

Sue Monk Kidd book The Secret Life of Bees

Source: The Secret Life of Bees

People, World, Idea

“Jace Herondale plays the piano very well.”
“And he knows it.”
“That sounds like a Herondale.” Tessa laughed.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Heavenly Fire

Source: City of Heavenly Fire

“Oh, no-" They weren't even on the runway, and Jonah's father was already immersed in his BlackBerry. "Remember those 'Live Large with the Wiz Generation' posters? Well, guess how that translates into Chinese- 'Jonah Wizard Makes Your Ancestors Fat'.”

Gordon Korman book The Emperor's Code

Source: The Emperor's Code

“Well, it's simple to love someone," she said. "But it's hard to know when you need to say it out loud.”

Rebecca Stead book When You Reach Me

Source: When You Reach Me

Love

“Denying the undeniable just makes you sound like a fool as well as a liar.”

Ally Carter book Only the Good Spy Young

Source: Only the Good Spy Young

Fools

“Well, there aren’t any graves in mundane wedding ceremonies,” said Tessa. “Though your ability to quote the Bible is impressive. Better than my aunt Harriet’s.”
“Did you hear that, James? She just compared us to her aunt Harriet.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Prince

Source: Clockwork Prince

Quotes, Wedding

“How well I know with what burning intensity you live. You have experienced many lives already, including several you have shared with me- full rich lives from birth to death, and you just have to have these rest periods in between.”

Anaïs Nin (1903–1977) writer of novels, short stories, and erotica

Death, Birth

“Nah. I’m a consultant, of course. Everyone’s favorite nondescript yet well-paid white-collar job.”

Richelle Mead (1976) American writer

Source: Succubus on Top

“Welcome to Morganville. You'll never want to leave. And even if you do… well, you can't. Sorry about that.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

“It is well, when in difficulties, to say never a word, neither black nor white. Speech is silver but silence is golden.”

Muriel Spark book The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Source: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Silence

“Power, no matter how well-intentioned, tends to cause suffering. Love, being vulnerable, absorbs it. In a point of convergence on a hill called Calvary, God renounced the one for the sake of the other.”

Philip Yancey book The Jesus I Never Knew

Source: The Jesus I Never Knew

Love, God, Suffering

“The Hermit was known to be pretty sniffy about disciples who returned in failure. There was a wall of the institute layered with their skins- an ingenious display that encouraged vigor in his students, as well as nicely keeping out the drafts.”

Jonathan Stroud book Ptolemy's Gate

Source: Ptolemy's Gate

Failure

“[D]on’t cling to your self-righteous suffering, let it go…. Nothing is too good to be true, let yourself be forgiven. To the degree you insist that you must suffer, you insist on the suffering of others as well. (90)”

Stephen Levine (1937–2016) American poet and author

Source: A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last

Suffering

“If a book is well written, I always find it too short.”

Jane Austen book Sense and Sensibility

Variant: [I]f a book is well written, I always find it too short.
Source: Sense and Sensibility

Books

“A brain with no heart and no reasoning… well, nothing is more meaningless.”

Melissa de la Cruz book Masquerade

Source: Masquerade

Heart

“Akri infallible. Well, except for a couple of things, and we don’t talk about those ‘cause it makes akri cranky. I like that word ‘infallible.’ It just like me. Infallible. (Simi)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon book Dance with the Devil

Source: Dance with the Devil

“The difference between stupid and intelligent people – and this is true whether or not they are well-educated – is that intelligent people can handle subtlety.”

Neal Stephenson (1959) American science fiction writer

Source: The Diamond Age: or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer

People, Stupidity, Education, Intelligence

“For a woman who can handle herself so well in a fight, I can’t believe you got taken out by a defenseless doorjamb. (Ravyn)
Given the size of my goose egg, I would argue the defenseless part. That doorjamb has a mean left hook.(Susan)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Dark Side of the Moon

Fight, Parting

“Cities have sexes: London is a man, Paris a woman, and New York a well-adjusted transsexual.”

Angela Carter (1940–1992) English novelist

Expletives Deleted: Selected Writings (1992).

Sex

“As she left my room I knew I should shut up. But you know when you should shut up because you really should just shut up… but you keep on and on anyway? Well, I had that.”

Louise Rennison book Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

Source: Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

“I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and say to myself "well, that's not going to happen”

Rita Rudner (1953) American comedian

Way, Science, Reading

“Léonie, you will do well to consider. You are not the first woman in my life."

She smiled through her tears. "Monseigneur, I would so much rather be the last woman than the first,” she said.”

Georgette Heyer book These Old Shades

Source: These Old Shades

Life, Smile, Tear

“I'm trying to think of a witty comeback, when Boggs says brusquely, “Well, don't expect us to be too impressed. We just saw Finnick Odair in his underwear.” I decide to go ahead and like Boggs.”

Suzanne Collins book Mockingjay

Source: Mockingjay

Thinking

“Parents are like God because you wanna know they're out there, and you want them to think well of you, but you really only call when you need something.”

Chuck Palahniuk book Invisible Monsters

Source: Invisible Monsters

God, Thinking, Parent, Family

“Leo scratched his head. Well, I dunno about enchiladas- "Enceladus" Piper corrected. Whatever. But Old Potty Face mentioned another name. Porpoise Fear, or something?”

Rick Riordan (1964) American writer

Fear

“Patience is a fruit of the spirit that grows only under trial. It is useless to pray for patience. Well, actually I encourage you to pray for patience, but I'll tell you what you'll get TRIALS!”

Joyce Meyer (1943) American author and speaker

Patience

“Well, either you’ve been out fighting the forces of evil or you’ve come from a much wilder party than we have,” Jace said.
“Hello, there, Blackthorns.”

Cassandra Clare book Lady Midnight

Source: Lady Midnight

Evil, Fight

“It's funny how you can think you know someone pretty well, and then something happens or they do something that makes you understand that you didn't really know them at all.”

Wendelin Van Draanen (1965) American writer

Source: Sammy Keyes And the Dead Giveaway

Understanding, Thinking

“But perhaps the best part of all was that I, Sydney Katherine Sage, guilty of constantly analyzing the world around me, well, I stopped thinking.”

Richelle Mead book The Golden Lily

Source: The Golden Lily

World, Thinking, Parting

“Little princess, lovely as the dawn, well named Aurore.”

Cameron Dokey (1956) American writer

Source: Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of Sleeping Beauty

Love, Princess

“Well, of all the bacon-brained, sapskulled, squirish, buffle-headed nodcocks!”

Patricia C. Wrede (1953) author

Source: Magician's Ward

“You may plainly perceive the traitor through his mask; he is well-known everywhere in his true colors; his rolling eyes and his honeyed tones impose only on those who do not know him.”

Molière The Misanthrope

Source: The Misanthrope

Color

“Rose only hangs out with guys and psychopaths," said Mia.

"Well," he said cheerfully, "since I'm both a psychopath and a guy, that would explain why we're such good friends.”

Richelle Mead book Frostbite

Source: Frostbite

Guy

“I must admit I’m impressed, Sadie. You controlled your magic and controlled Isis. And you, Carter, did well turning into a lizard.”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

“Your scare me rather. My reflection in the glass never did that; of course, I knew it so well. Like something I had tamed… I'm going to smile, and my smile will sink down into your pupils, and heaven knows what it will become.”

Jean Paul Sartre No Exit

Source: No Exit

Smile

“Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fires, what do freedom fighters fight?”

George Carlin (1937–2008) American stand-up comedian

Doin' It Again, Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics (1990)
Context: Smug, greedy, well-fed white people have invented a language to conceal their sins. It's as simple as that. The CIA doesn't kill anybody anymore, they neutralize people, or they depopulate the area. The government doesn't lie, it engages in disinformation. The Pentagon actually measures nuclear radiation in something they call sunshine units. Israeli murderers are called commandos, Arab commandos are called terrorists. Contra killers are called freedom fighters. Well, if crime fighters fight crime, and firefighters fight fires, what do freedom fighters fight?

Freedom, Fight

“Look well on this, my son," said the green-skinned man, "for one day I shall rule a clockwork kingdom of such beings, and you shall be its prince.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Prince

Source: Clockwork Prince

“Bran was always a deceptive bastard, gentle and mild right up until he ripped your throat out. He had many other fine qualities as well.”

Patricia Briggs book Cry Wolf

Source: Cry Wolf

“No mother is ever, completely, a child's idea of what a mother should be, and I suppose it works the other way around as well. But despite everything, we didn't do too badly by one another, we did as well as most.”

Margaret Atwood book The Handmaid's Tale

Source: The Handmaid's Tale

Way, Idea

“If I must drool, I may as well drool on cashmere.”

Jean-Dominique Bauby book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Source: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

“Doughboy," I said. "What is this scroll?"
"A spell lost in time!" he pronounced. "Ancient words of tremendous power!"
"Well?" I demanded. "Does it tell how to defeat Set?"
"Better! The title reads: The Book of Summoning Fruit Bats!”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

Books, Time, Reading

“One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not to be done at all.”

Brian Tracy (1944) American motivational speaker and writer

Source: Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

Time

“To get to a place where you could love anything you chose--not to need permission for desire--well now _that_ was freedom.”

Toni Morrison (1931–2019) American writer

Beloved (1987)

Love, Freedom

“It's all very well going round with two fingers stuck up at the world, but what happens when the world turns round and sticks them back up at you?
The world's a lot bigger than I am.”

Liz Kessler (1966) British children's writer

Source: Read Me Like a Book

World

“Now, Max, I think we both know your parents aren't missionaries."
I opened my eyes wide. "No? Well, for God's sake, don't tell them. They'd be crushed. Thinking they're doing the
Lord's work and all.”

James Patterson (1947) American author

Source: School's Out—Forever

God, Thinking, Parent

“You've done what?"
"I know," he said. "You're impressed. You send me out for bread and I come back with a boy. Well, not literally. That would be weird. Even for me.”

Derek Landy (1974) Irish children's writer

Source: Kingdom of the Wicked

Boy

“I hated roses. I hated them for being so trite, so clichéd, a default, all-purpose flower that said I love you, I'm sorry, and get well soon. Give me peonies and tulips, orchids or gardenia. Those were flowers with character.”

Justina Chen (1968) American writer

Source: North of Beautiful

Love, Hate, Flowers

“Well, just remember--all your misery will be waiting for you at the door upon your exit, should you care to pick it up again when you leave.”

Elizabeth Gilbert book Eat, Pray, Love

Source: Eat, Pray, Love

Waiting

“There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters”

Daniel Webster (1782–1852) Leading American senator and statesman. January 18, 1782 – October 24, 1852. Served as the Secretary of Sta…

A speech delivered at Niblo’s Saloon, in New York, on the 15 of March, 1837.<br>The Works of Daniel Webster, Boston, Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1851, vol. 1, p. 358 http://books.google.com/books?id=9DMOAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA358&lpg=PA358&dq=%22They+mean+to+govern+well%3B+but+they+mean+to+govern%22&source=bl&ots=oJ6IWDhF2B&sig=iYuDQMQjnHzxMjzbd6rJohrXVrQ&hl=en&ei=xqYqTKDpFML-nAeF2omjAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CCwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22They%20mean%20to%20govern%20well%3B%20but%20they%20mean%20to%20govern%22&f=false. <br class="br">Context: There are men, in all ages, who mean to exercise power usefully; but who mean to exercise it. They mean to govern well; but they mean to govern. They promise to be kind masters; but they mean to be masters.

Men, Age

“I know too well how dangerous hope can be, how it grows and sometimes dies, taking its host with it. It's more powerful than anything Dr. Fibs keeps in his labs, more precious than all the secrets inside Sublevel Two.”

Ally Carter book Only the Good Spy Young

Source: Only the Good Spy Young

Secret, Hope

“Hobbes: Do you think there's a God?
Calvin: Well, somebody's out to get me!”

Bill Watterson (1958) American comic artist

God, Thinking

“Ted said, "You're working for the Order now." "Yes." "How does it feel?" "Well, Doctor, it feels rather sore and tingly.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Bites

Feeling

“You look ridiculous if you dance
You look ridiculous if you don't dance
So you might as well
dance.”

Gertrude Stein book Three Lives

Source: Three Lives

Dance

“When a thing has been said and well said, have no scruple: take it and copy it.”

Anatole France (1844–1924) French writer

Quand une chose a été dite et bien dite, n'ayez aucun scrupule, prenez-la, copiez.
As quoted in Anatole France en pantoufles by Jean-Jacques Brousson (1924); published in English as Anatole France Himself: A Boswellian Record by His Secretary, Jean-Jacques Brousson (1925), trans. John Pollock [Read Books, 2007, ISBN 1-406-75172-3], p. 56

“One day I looked at Gat, lying in the Clairmont hammock with a book, and he seemed, well, like he was mine. Like he was my particular person.”

E. Lockhart book We Were Liars

Source: We Were Liars

Books, Lying, Personality

“I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.”

Jane Austen book Northanger Abbey

Source: Northanger Abbey