Quotes from book
The Name of the Wind

The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind, also called The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One, is a heroic fantasy novel written by American author Patrick Rothfuss. It is the first book in the ongoing fantasy trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicle, followed by The Wise Man's Fear. It was published on March 27, 2007 by DAW Books.

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““I’ll admit, I was disappointed to learn that dragons didn’t exist. That’s a hard lesson for a boy to learn.”
Chronicler smiled. “Honestly, I was a little disappointed myself. I went looking for a legend and found a lizard. A fascinating lizard, but a lizard just the same.””

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 6, “The Price of Remembering” (p. 46)

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“Trouble,” he chuckled. “What does a boy like you know about trouble? I was in trouble afore you were born. I been in trouble you don’t even got words for.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 61, “Jackass, Jackass” (p. 454)

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“So you went looking for a myth and found a man.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 6, “The Price of Remembering” (p. 50)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

“Nothing makes a man feel older than a young woman.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 69, “Wind or Women’s Fancy” (p. 512)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

“It was one of those perfect autumn days so common in stories and so rare in the real world.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 2, “A Beautiful Day” (p. 19)

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““Music is a fine thing, but metal lasts.” He struck the table with two huge fingers to emphasize his point….
As I left, I thought about what Kilvin had said. It was the first thing he had said to me that I did not agree with wholeheartedly. Metal rusts, I thought, music lasts forever.
Time will eventually prove one of us right.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 60, “Fortune” (pp. 443-444; ellipsis represents minor elision of description)

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“He picked the rock back up. “Do you believe that it floated?”
“No!” I sulked, rubbing my temples.
“Good. It didn’t. Never fool yourself into perceiving things that don’t exist.””

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 10, “Alar and Several Stones” (p. 78)

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“Wisdom precludes boldness.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 87, “Boldness” (p. 677)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

“Like all boys my age, I was an idiot when it came to women.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 62, “Leaves” (p. 465)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

““You’re just getting old.” She gave a dramatic sigh. “Truly, all the more’s the tragedy; the second thing to go is a man’s memory.””

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 14, “The Name of the Wind” (p. 113)

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“My parents danced together, her head on his chest. Both had their eyes closed. They seemed so perfectly content. If you can find someone like that, someone who you can hold and close your eyes to the world with, then you’re lucky. Even if it only lasts for a minute or a day. The image of them gently swaying to the music is how I picture love in my mind even after all these years.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 15, “Distractions and Farewells” (pp. 119-120)

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“Piss on etiquette,” Threpe said petulantly. “Etiquette is a set of rules people use so they can be rude to each other in public.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 60, “Fortune” (p. 437)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

“Everyone thinks chemistry and alchemy are so similar, but they’re really not. They’re not even related. They just happen to live in the same house.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 44, “The Burning Glass” (p. 328)

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“Lord but I dislike poetry. How can anyone remember words that aren’t put to music?”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 14, “The Name of the Wind” (p. 112)

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“Seven things has Lady Lackless
Keeps them underneath her black dress
One a ring that’s not for wearing
One a sharp word, not for swearing
Right beside her husband’s candle
There’s a door without a handle
In a box, no lids or locks
Lackless keeps her husband’s rocks
There’s a secret she’s been keeping
She’s been dreaming and not sleeping
On a road, that’s not for traveling
Lackless likes her riddle raveling.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 11, “The Binding of Iron” (pp. 85-86)

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“Mauthen ain’t much for listenen. Nothin’ plugs a man’s ears like money.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 73, “Pegs” (p. 580)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

““How do they feel about demons off in Atur?” he asked.
“Scared.” My father tapped his temple. “All that religion makes their brains soft.””

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 12, “Puzzle Pieces Fitting” (p. 93)

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“That’s a whole new type of stupid.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 73, “Pegs” (p. 580)

Patrick Rothfuss photo

“Nobles’ sons are one of nature’s great destructive forces, like floods or tornadoes. When you’re struck with one of these catastrophes, the only thing an average man can do is grit his teeth and try to minimize the damage.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 31, “The Nature of Nobility” (p. 222)

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“The truth was, I needed to impress them. I knew from my previous discussions with Ben that you needed money or brains to get into the University. The more of one you had, the less of the other you needed.”

Patrick Rothfuss book The Name of the Wind

Source: The Name of the Wind (2007), Chapter 36, “Less Talents” (p. 251)