I think most of us remember and use favourite pieces of text that we have read at some point and it was overhearing someone quote a line from one of my favourite books that prompted me to ask this question of our FB followers.
I have to say I was surprised by how many of you chose the same books and pleasantly so that you chose so many of my favourite titles as your go to books when you want a quote.
I have to say I was surprised by how many of you chose the same books and pleasantly so that you chose so many of my favourite titles as your go to books when you want a quote.
The Fault in our Stars; I don’t suppose it should come as much of a surprise to see this title topping our poll, with lines such as these it was bound to be right at the head of the list.
“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”
“What a slut time is. She screws everybody.”
In second spot are the Harry Potter books; J.Kreally does have a knack for providing us with lines that resonate throughout our daily lives.
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.”
We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.
Paulo Coelho is a very well placed third with his novel The Alchemist and its very easily quoted lines:
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
Stephen King’s Fantasy saga The Dark Tower is fourth in our list and I hold a long unfulfilled desire to have a tattoo of the opening line of these books upon myself.
“Go then, there are other worlds than this”
“And will I tell you that these three lived happily ever after? I will not, for no one ever does. But there was happiness. And they did live.”
The Bible is a series of quotes interspersed with punctuation, so its inclusion was a given.
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Shakespeare’s works as a whole comes next. How many times have we heard or read him being quoted, misquoted and generally torn to shreds in every day life?
We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life, is rounded with a sleep.
We know what we are, but know not what we may be.
Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird is seventh in our list; there are so many quotes to choose from but these are particularly lovely.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.”
This one surprised me, I’ve never felt the need to quote Elvish ha ha. Eighth is Lord of the Rings.
“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.”
“PIPPIN: I didn’t think it would end this way.
GANDALF: End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
PIPPIN: What? Gandalf? See what?
GANDALF: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
PIPPIN: Well, that isn’t so bad.
GANDALF: No. No, it isn’t.”
GANDALF: End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
PIPPIN: What? Gandalf? See what?
GANDALF: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
PIPPIN: Well, that isn’t so bad.
GANDALF: No. No, it isn’t.”
Alice in Wonderland is in ninth; such a beautifully written and eminently quotable book had to be included.
“It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
And tenth is another favourite of mine, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
“Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?”
“I’d far rather be happy than right any day.”
The next five books, in the order of nomination are:
Pride and Prejudice
“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”
Sherlock Holmes
‘My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know.’
The Book Thief
“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”
Princess Bride
“When I was your age, television was called books.”
The Hobbit ~ J.R.R Tolkein
1984
“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
“A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”
Sherlock Holmes
‘My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know.’
The Book Thief
“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”
Princess Bride
“When I was your age, television was called books.”
The Hobbit ~ J.R.R Tolkein
1984
“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
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