Although I’m a classic rock fan, lately the constant grating sexual angst theme of most rock songs is beginning to wear thin. To use a manner of speaking I have flamed in the past, “Like, I am SO not interested in your sexual frustration!”
I think a great author said it better. I’m paraphrasing, but “Now that I pass into my age and my blood begins to cool from its lusts and jealousies, must I endure the lusts and jealousies of my sons?” Nice turn of a phrase, huh?
A pair of golden chopsticks to the Doper who posts the title of the quoted book, and posts another quote for us to guess.
I’m still trying to come up with a way to use my favorite Hitchhiker’s quote–about a machine that always produces a liquid that is “almost, but not entirely, quite unlike tea.” Also like the one about the long, dark teatime of the soul, but then Adams had to go and use that as the title of one of his Dirk Gently novels…sigh…
Some of my favorite quotes are from a Viking novel by Frans G. Bengtsson, I believe the English translation is called “Long Ships, a saga of the Viking age”. HIGHLY recommended.
Lots of tongue-in-cheek humour based on the facts that A: Vikings are TOUGH and B: they don’t waste words.
The main character’s grown-up daughter is kidnapped and liberated. She explains that in her captivity she only did light work and didn’t have to share a bed with anyone but the priest, who was quite a peaceful old geezer (I really wish I could translate this better) , making her conclude:“Things could truly have gone worse”. That’s an often-used quote in everyday life.
At a party, a young man is noted to be absent - and the maiden who was sitting across the table from him is missing as well. After checking under the table, “It was considered likely that both got sleepy at the same time and left without disturbing anyone, as befits well-raised young people”.
And Douglas Adams should be shot for abusing “The long dark tea-time of the soul” for something as prosaic as a book title.
“Error can point the way to truth, while empty-headedness can lead only to more empty-headedness or a career in politics.” –Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, Barry Hughart
“Designing your medal will be a great challenge for an artist. We must engage Deng the Debauched as soon as we return to Peking.” –Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox, Barry Hughart (Yes, I’ve had occasion to use this one.)
“Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.” –Time Enough for Love, Robert Heinlein
“We like to keep death as an option.” –Godstalk, P.C. Hodgell
It is so resolved and decreed. Let’s get him. I like the whole passage about the LDTTOTS, especially the part about “when you realize you’ve had as many baths as you can usefully take for the day…”
I also like Occam’s favorite quote. And the one about the man who got “nailed to a tree for saying how nice it would be if everyone was just nice to one another.”
Sorry, these are probably not completely accurate quotes, as I don’t intentionally memorize literature, and I’ve loaned my HHGTTU to a friend.
Looks like no one’s guessing the source of my quote. It’s from “The Good Earth.” Main character is getting old and wants to relax, but his sons/their wives/their concubines are all fighting and he’s had enough.
Let’s see – here’s another: “Once a man gets into the habit of being supported, his usefulness is practically over.” Eve?
“Oh, you cant help that,” said the Cat, “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”–Alice in Wonderland. The book. (Disney somehow managed to screw that line up)
Didn’t get to guess The Good Earth soon enough. The entire book by Pearl S. Buck is one good quote.
My son and I banter British and Irish quotes around, and the one I like the best is from Angela’s Ashes, where his drunken father asks him to “die for Ireland”, and the Catholic Fathers are telling him he has to be ready to “die for the Faith”, and he says “I want to tell the Fathers that I can’t die for the faith, cause I’m already booked to die for Ireland.”