Penelope Fitzgerald Quotes

• To every separate person a thing is what he thinks it is – in other words, not a thing, but a think.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Thinking, Perception, Persons

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1998). “The Gate of Angels”, p.49, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  52 Copy quote

• It is interesting to note that everyone has a different take on the world, a different opinion, and given the same inputs have completely different outputs.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Interesting, Different, World

  15 Copy quote

• I have remained true to my deepest convictions. I mean the courage of those who are born to be defeated, the weaknesses of the strong, and the tragedy of misunderstandings and missed opportunities, which I have done my best to treat as comedy—for otherwise how can we manage to bear it?

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Strong, Mean, Opportunity

  Penelope Fitzgerald (2009). “A House of Air”, p.13, HarperCollins UK

  16 Copy quote

• Helping other people is a drug so dangerous that there is no cure short of total abstention.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Helping Others, People, Drug

  Penelope Fitzgerald (2013). “Human Voices”, p.109, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  21 Copy quote

• A good book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life, and as such it must surely be a necessary commodity.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Book, Blood, Purpose

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1978). “The Bookshop”, p.87, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  7 Copy quote

• Experiences aren't given to us to be 'got over,' otherwise they would hardly be experiences.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Given

  7 Copy quote

• If they don't depend on true evidence, scientists are no better than gossips.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Science, Gossip, Scientist

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1998). “The Gate of Angels”, p.24, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  11 Copy quote

• An unjust punishment is never forgotten.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Punishment, Unjust, Forgotten

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1997). “The Blue Flower”, p.24, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  8 Copy quote

• Morality is seldom a safe guide for human conduct.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Safe, Morality, Guides

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1978). “The Bookshop”, p.100, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  8 Copy quote

• Duty is what no-one else will do at the moment.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Moments, Duty

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1998). “Offshore: A Novel”, p.6, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  7 Copy quote

• The body, then, has a mind of its own. It must follow, then, that the Mind has a body of its own, even if it’s like nothing that we can see around us, or have ever seen.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Mind, Body, Ifs

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1998). “The Gate of Angels”, p.47, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  10 Copy quote

• A word of advice. If, as a young man, student, you are tormented by a desire for women, it is best to get out into the fresh air as much as possible.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Men, Air, Advice

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1997). “The Blue Flower”, p.13, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  8 Copy quote

• On the whole, I think you should write biographies of those you admire and respect, and novels about human beings who you think are sadly mistaken.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Writing, Thinking, Biographies

  Penelope Fitzgerald (2008). “So I have thought of you: the letters of Penelope Fitzgerald”, Fourth Estate (GB)

  8 Copy quote

• More than that, I believe that the grass is green because green is restful to the human eye, that the sky is blue to give us an idea of the infinite. And that blood is red so that murder will be more easily detected and criminals will be brought to justice. Yes, and I believe that I shall live forever, but I shall live without reason.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Believe, Eye, Blue

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1998). “The Gate of Angels”, p.48, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  7 Copy quote

• Behind their dark glass, the mad own nothing.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Dark, Glasses, Mad

  Penelope Fitzgerald, Charlotte Mary Mew (1988). “Charlotte Mew and her friends: with a selection of her poems”, Addison-Wesley

  7 Copy quote

• I believe that people should write biographies only about people they love, or understand, or both. Novels, on the other hand, are often better if they're about people the writer doesn't like very much.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Believe, Writing, Hands

  10 Copy quote

• It's very good for an idea to be commonplace. The important thing is that a new idea should develop out of what is already there so that it soon becomes an old acquaintance. Old acquaintances aren't by any means always welcome, but at least one can't be mistaken as to who or what they are.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Mean, Ideas, Important

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1998). “The Gate of Angels”, p.202, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  7 Copy quote

• Surely you have to succeed, if you give everything you have.'
  'I don't see why. Everyone has to give everything they have eventually. They have to die. Dying can't be called a success.

  Penelope Fitzgerald

  Giving, Dying, Succeed

  Penelope Fitzgerald (1997). “The Bookshop”, p.108, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  4 Copy quote

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