Peter S. Beagle

Quotes

1. I am infected with life and will die of it in time.

   p. 255

2. 

   I walked a long way that night, thinking many philosophic thoughts which, fortunately, I don’t remember.

   p. 61

3. 

   “Ravens bring things to people. We’re like that. It’s our nature. We don’t like it. We’d much rather be eagles, or swans, or even one of those moronic robins, but we’re ravens and there you are. Ravens don’t feel right without somebody to bring things to, and when we do find somebody we realize what a silly business it was in the first place.” He made a sound between a chuckle and a cough. “Ravens are pretty neurotic birds. We’re closer to people than any other bird, and we’re bound to them all our lives, but we don’t have to like them. You think we brought Elijah food because we liked him? He was an old man with a dirty beard.”

   p. 13

4. 

   You’re greediest when you’re born, and after that it’s downhill all the way. Live to be two hundred and you wouldn’t demand anything.

   p. 102

5. 

   I was lost too. What else would I have been doing in Iowa?

   p. 160

6. 

   I’ve always thought cemeteries were like cities. There are streets, avenues—you’ve seen them, I think, Michael. There are blocks, too, and house numbers, slums and ghettos, middle-class sections and small palaces.

   p. 27

7. 

   He sighed, telling himself that the inevitable is a great blessing to a man weary of making choices.

   p. 229

8. 

   There is no such thing as abstract justice. There is such a thing as law. The difference should be apparent.

   p. 206

9. 

   There are honest people in the world, but only because the devil considers their asking prices ridiculous.

   p. 135

10. 

    I’m sure I’ll go to heaven. I’ve been dull enough.

    p. 48

11. 

    Walking by yourself in the rain is for college kids who think loneliness makes poets.

    p. 185

12. 

    It’s like marriage. The race there is between total knowledge of each other and death. If death comes first, it’s considered a successful marriage.

    p. 199