# James A. Michener - Quotes: 27 - Author page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener ## Books - [Hawaii](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/hawaii.md) — 7 quotes - [Poland](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland.md) — 10 quotes - [Space](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/space.md) — 3 quotes - [The Covenant](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-covenant.md) — 5 quotes - [The World Is My Home](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-world-is-my-home.md) — 2 quotes ## Recently added quotes > ...organizations like the church or General Motors promote a man up and up until he reaches a spot which he is obviously incapable of filling, and there they lay him to rest. p. 587 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/organizations-like-the.md) Topics: [work](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/work.md) > I am terrified of restrictive religious doctrine, having learned from history that when men who adhere to any form of it are in control, common men like me are in peril. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-world-is-my-home/i-am-terrified.md) Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md) > [The church's] job is to provide permanent solace and spiritual leadership to the people as a whole, whatever their government at the moment, so long as it stays within the bounds of moral decency. p. 591 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/the-churchs-job.md) Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md) > I am a humanist because I think humanity can, with constant moral guidance, create reasonably decent societies. I think that young people who want to understand the world can profit from the works of Plato and Socrates, the behaviour of the three Thomases, Aquinas, More and Jefferson — the austere analyses of Immanuel Kant and the political leadership of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-world-is-my-home/i-am-a-humanist.md) Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md) > Leonid Brezhnev needed a haircut, so he went down to the ground floor of the Kremlin and plopped into the chair. It was understood that at such times the barber was to say not a word, just cut hair. But this morning, after a few snips he said: "Comrade Brezhnev what are you going to do about Poland?" No reply. Some minutes later: "Comrade Brezhnev, what about Poland?" Again no reply. Then, pretty soon: "Comrade Brezhnev, you've got to do something about Poland." At this Brezhnev jumps out of the chair and tears away the cloth: "What's all this about Poland?" and the barber says: "It makes my job so much easier," and Brezhnev screams: "What do you mean?" and the barber says: "Every time I mention Poland your hair stands straight up on end." p. 567 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/leonid-brezhnev-needed.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [politics](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/politics.md) > An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/space/an-age-is-called.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [knowledge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/knowledge.md) > Second, after a painful gap without any king, and a furious struggle by various foreign powers to elect men favorable to them, the Seym chose a pathetic Polish incompetent, who had the good sense to die rather promptly. p. 153 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/second-after-a-painful.md) Topics: [politics](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/politics.md), [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md) > Until you've seen Zimbabwe, you live in darkness. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-covenant/until-youve-seen.md) Topics: [travel](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/travel.md) > Always remember, your uncle was a thief. He stole what was rightfully yours. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-covenant/always-remember-your.md) Topics: [justice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/justice.md), [crime](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/crime.md) > He had obtained a clearer view of his homeland by leaving it and seeing it through the eyes of others. p. 571 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/he-had-obtained.md) Topics: [homeland](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/homeland.md) > ...the crucial Battle of Zamość, which is not stressed in most current histories because it involved a Polish-Russian battle in which the Poles won. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/poland/the-crucial-battle.md) Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md) > We guard them. We punish them if we recover them. We chain them. And still they seek their freedom. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-a-michener/the-covenant/we-guard-them.md) Topics: [freedom](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/freedom.md)