William Faulkner Quotes

Top 100 wise famous quotes and sayings by William Faulkner

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William Faulkner Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from William Faulkner on Wise Famous Quotes.

William Faulkner quotes: A writer is congenitally unable to tell the truth and that is why we call what he writes fiction. A writer is congenitally unable to tell the truth and that is why we call what he writes fiction.
William Faulkner quotes: I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning. I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning.
William Faulkner quotes: The saddest thing about love, Joe, is that not only the love cannot last forever, but even the heartbreak is soon forgotten. The saddest thing about love, Joe, is that not only the love cannot last forever, but even the heartbreak is soon forgotten.
William Faulkner quotes: The writer in America isn't part of the culture of this country. He's like a fine dog. People like him around, but he's of no use. The writer in America isn't part of the culture of this country. He's like a fine dog. People like him around, but he's of no use.
William Faulkner quotes: There are some things for which three words are three too many, and three thousand words that many words too less. There are some things for which three words are three too many, and three thousand words that many words too less.
William Faulkner quotes: Any live man is better than any dead man but no live or dead man is very much better than any other live or dead man Any live man is better than any dead man but no live or dead man is very much better than any other live or dead man
William Faulkner quotes: It's better to build a tight chicken coop than a shoddy courthouse. It's better to build a tight chicken coop than a shoddy courthouse.
William Faulkner quotes: A hack writer who would not have been considered fourth rate in Europe.(on Mark Twain) A hack writer who would not have been considered fourth rate in Europe.
(on Mark Twain)
William Faulkner quotes: Civilization begins with distillation Civilization begins with distillation
William Faulkner quotes: She was the captain of her soul She was the captain of her soul
William Faulkner quotes: No one individual can tell the truth. No one individual can tell the truth.
William Faulkner quotes: Government was founded on the working premiss of being primarily an asylum for ineptitude and indigence. Government was founded on the working premiss of being primarily an asylum for ineptitude and indigence.
William Faulkner quotes: And when I think about that, I think that if nothing but being married will help a man, he's durn nigh hopeless. And when I think about that, I think that if nothing but being married will help a man, he's durn nigh hopeless.
William Faulkner quotes: I only write when I feel the inspiration. Fortunately, inspiration strikes at 10:00 o'clock every day. I only write when I feel the inspiration. Fortunately, inspiration strikes at 10:00 o'clock every day.
William Faulkner quotes: A gentleman can live through anything. A gentleman can live through anything.
William Faulkner quotes: Women ... to them any wedding is better than no wedding and a big wedding with a villain preferable to a small one with a saint. Women ... to them any wedding is better than no wedding and a big wedding with a villain preferable to a small one with a saint.
William Faulkner quotes: A man is the sum of his misfortunes. A man is the sum of his misfortunes.
William Faulkner quotes: It is the man who all his life has been self-convicted of veracity whose lies find quickest credence. It is the man who all his life has been self-convicted of veracity whose lies find quickest credence.
William Faulkner quotes: Then the town was sorry with being glad, as people sometimes are sorry for those whom they have at last forced to do as they wanted them to. Then the town was sorry with being glad, as people sometimes are sorry for those whom they have at last forced to do as they wanted them to.
William Faulkner quotes: I do not rewrite unless I am absolutely sure that I can express the material better if I do rewrite it. I do not rewrite unless I am absolutely sure that I can express the material better if I do rewrite it.
William Faulkner quotes: Life is a process of preparing to be dead for a long time. Life is a process of preparing to be dead for a long time.
William Faulkner quotes: Perhaps they were right putting love into books. Perhaps it could not live anywhere else. Perhaps they were right putting love into books. Perhaps it could not live anywhere else.
William Faulkner quotes: It takes an awful lot of character to quit anything when you are losing, It takes an awful lot of character to quit anything when you are losing,
William Faulkner quotes: I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it. I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it.
William Faulkner quotes: Your illusions are a part of you like your bones and flesh and memory. Your illusions are a part of you like your bones and flesh and memory.
William Faulkner quotes: No man can cause more grief than the one clinging blindly to the vices of his ancesters. No man can cause more grief than the one clinging blindly to the vices of his ancesters.
William Faulkner quotes: Man performs and engenders so much more than he can or should have to bear. That's how he finds that he can bear anything. Man performs and engenders so much more than he can or should have to bear. That's how he finds that he can bear anything.
William Faulkner quotes: What modren ideas?" pap said. "I didn't know there was but one idea about work - until it is done, it ain't done, and when it is done, it is. What modren ideas?" pap said. "I didn't know there was but one idea about work - until it is done, it ain't done, and when it is done, it is.
William Faulkner quotes: To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi. To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.
William Faulkner quotes: And so sometimes I would think how the devil had conquered God. And so sometimes I would think how the devil had conquered God.
William Faulkner quotes: I dont hate it he thought, panting in the cold air, the iron New England dark; I dont. I dont! I dont hate it! I dont hate it! I dont hate it he thought, panting in the cold air, the iron New England dark; I dont. I dont! I dont hate it! I dont hate it!
William Faulkner quotes: Teach yourself by your own mistakes; people learn only by error. Teach yourself by your own mistakes; people learn only by error.
William Faulkner quotes: You should approach Joyce's Ulysses as the illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Old Testament: with faith. You should approach Joyce's Ulysses as the illiterate Baptist preacher approaches the Old Testament: with faith.
William Faulkner quotes: What a writer's obituary should read - he wrote the books, then he died. What a writer's obituary should read - he wrote the books, then he died.
William Faulkner quotes: You don't want your hands froze on Christmas, do you. You don't want your hands froze on Christmas, do you.
William Faulkner quotes: Memory believes before knowing remembers. Believes longer than recollects, longer than knowing even wonders. Memory believes before knowing remembers. Believes longer than recollects, longer than knowing even wonders.
William Faulkner quotes: Don't do what you can do - try what you can't do. Don't do what you can do - try what you can't do.
William Faulkner quotes: If you write something that you love beyond all reason, it is wrong and you should strike it out. If you write something that you love beyond all reason, it is wrong and you should strike it out.
William Faulkner quotes: Maybe times are never strange to women: it is just one continuous monotonous thing full of the repeated follies of their menfolks. Maybe times are never strange to women: it is just one continuous monotonous thing full of the repeated follies of their menfolks.
William Faulkner quotes: The woman is now climbing slowly down, with that inwardlistening deliberation. The woman is now climbing slowly down, with that inwardlistening deliberation.
William Faulkner quotes: If happy I can be I will, if suffer I must I can. If happy I can be I will, if suffer I must I can.
William Faulkner quotes: Sex and death: the front door and the back door of the world. Sex and death: the front door and the back door of the world.
William Faulkner quotes: And Judith, the young girl dreaming, not living, in her complete detachment and imperviousness to actuality almost like physical deafness. And Judith, the young girl dreaming, not living, in her complete detachment and imperviousness to actuality almost like physical deafness.
William Faulkner quotes: If you could just ravel out into time. That would be nice. It would be nice if you could just ravel out into time If you could just ravel out into time. That would be nice. It would be nice if you could just ravel out into time
William Faulkner quotes: He lived out there, eight miles from any neighbor, in a masculine solitude in what might be called the half-acre gunroom of a baronial splendor. He lived out there, eight miles from any neighbor, in a masculine solitude in what might be called the half-acre gunroom of a baronial splendor.
William Faulkner quotes: [The] Christ story is one of the best stories that man has invented ... Faulkner in the University, 117 [The] Christ story is one of the best stories that man has invented ...
Faulkner in the University, 117
William Faulkner quotes: War and drink are the two things man is never too poor to buy. War and drink are the two things man is never too poor to buy.
William Faulkner quotes: I could just remember how my father used to say that the reason for living was to get ready to stay dead a long time. And I could just remember how my father used to say that the reason for living was to get ready to stay dead a long time. And
William Faulkner quotes: Riches is nothing in the face of the Lord, for He can see into the heart. Riches is nothing in the face of the Lord, for He can see into the heart.
William Faulkner quotes: And he was not old enough to talk and say nothing at the same time. And he was not old enough to talk and say nothing at the same time.
William Faulkner quotes: We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid. We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid.
William Faulkner quotes: Every man has a different idea of what's beautiful, and it's best to take the gesture, the shadow of the branch, and let the mind create the tree. Every man has a different idea of what's beautiful, and it's best to take the gesture, the shadow of the branch, and let the mind create the tree.
William Faulkner quotes: Here I am I am tired I am tired of running of having to carry my life like it was a basket of eggs Here I am I am tired I am tired of running of having to carry my life like it was a basket of eggs
William Faulkner quotes: A man aint so different from a horse or a mule, come long come short, except a mule or a horse has got a little more sense. A man aint so different from a horse or a mule, come long come short, except a mule or a horse has got a little more sense.
William Faulkner quotes: Stars were golden unicorns neighing unheard through blue meadows. Stars were golden unicorns neighing unheard through blue meadows.
William Faulkner quotes: I discovered that my own little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about and that I would never live long enough to exhaust it. I discovered that my own little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about and that I would never live long enough to exhaust it.
William Faulkner quotes: God is foolish at times, but at least He's a gentleman. Dont you know that?" "I always thought of Him as a man," the woman said. God is foolish at times, but at least He's a gentleman. Dont you know that?" "I always thought of Him as a man," the woman said.
William Faulkner quotes: History is not was, it is. History is not was, it is.
William Faulkner quotes: To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow. To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow.
William Faulkner quotes: I made it on the bevel. I made it on the bevel.
William Faulkner quotes: Surely heaven must have something of the color and shape of whatever village or hill or cottage of which the believer says, This is my own. Surely heaven must have something of the color and shape of whatever village or hill or cottage of which the believer says, This is my own.
William Faulkner quotes: now i can get them teeth now i can get them teeth
William Faulkner quotes: A writer strives to express a universal truth in the way that rings the most bells in the shortest amount of time. A writer strives to express a universal truth in the way that rings the most bells in the shortest amount of time.
William Faulkner quotes: It does last," Horace said. "Spring does. You'd almost think there was some purpose to it. It does last," Horace said. "Spring does. You'd almost think there was some purpose to it.
William Faulkner quotes: Writing a first draft is like trying to build a house in a strong wind. Writing a first draft is like trying to build a house in a strong wind.
William Faulkner quotes: This does not matter. This is not anything yet. It all depends on what you do with it, afterward. This does not matter. This is not anything yet. It all depends on what you do with it, afterward.
William Faulkner quotes: Who owned no property and never desired to since the earth was no man's but all men's, as light and air and weather were. Who owned no property and never desired to since the earth was no man's but all men's, as light and air and weather were.
William Faulkner quotes: Writing is one-third imagination, one-third experience, and one third observation. Writing is one-third imagination, one-third experience, and one third observation.
William Faulkner quotes: We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it. We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.
William Faulkner quotes: In writing, you must kill your darlings. In writing, you must kill your darlings.
William Faulkner quotes: The two girls emanated an incorrigible idle inertia. The two girls emanated an incorrigible idle inertia.
William Faulkner quotes: We shall not kill and maybe next time we even won't. We shall not kill and maybe next time we even won't.
William Faulkner quotes: You're not being tried by common sense," Horace said. "You're being tried by a jury. You're not being tried by common sense," Horace said. "You're being tried by a jury.
William Faulkner quotes: Had Passion and Purity never encountered, Tenderness had never come into the world. Had Passion and Purity never encountered, Tenderness had never come into the world.
William Faulkner quotes: It wasn't until the Nobel Prize that they really thawed out. They couldn't understand my books, but they could understand $30,000. It wasn't until the Nobel Prize that they really thawed out. They couldn't understand my books, but they could understand $30,000.
William Faulkner quotes: You will find that even injustice is scarcely worthy of what you believe yourself to be. You will find that even injustice is scarcely worthy of what you believe yourself to be.
William Faulkner quotes: Knowing not grieving remembers a thousand savage and lonely streets. Knowing not grieving remembers a thousand savage and lonely streets.
William Faulkner quotes: I says to myself it's a good thing her eyes are giving out, I says to myself it's a good thing her eyes are giving out,
William Faulkner quotes: Folks are funny. They can't stick to one way of thinking or doing anything unless they get a new reason for doing it ever so often. Folks are funny. They can't stick to one way of thinking or doing anything unless they get a new reason for doing it ever so often.
William Faulkner quotes: Don't bother just to be better than others. Try to be better than yourself. Don't bother just to be better than others. Try to be better than yourself.
William Faulkner quotes: She looked at me then everything emptied out of her eyes and they looked like the eyes in statues blank and unseeing and serene put She looked at me then everything emptied out of her eyes and they looked like the eyes in statues blank and unseeing and serene put
William Faulkner quotes: Surely there is something in madness, even the demoniac, which Satan flees, aghast at his own handiwork, and which God looks on in pity.. Surely there is something in madness, even the demoniac, which Satan flees, aghast at his own handiwork, and which God looks on in pity..
William Faulkner quotes: He is thinking quietly: I should not have got out of the habit of prayer. He is thinking quietly: I should not have got out of the habit of prayer.
William Faulkner quotes: I say money has no value; it's just the way you spend it. I say money has no value; it's just the way you spend it.
William Faulkner quotes: To be young. To be young. There is nothing else like it: there is nothing else in the world To be young. To be young. There is nothing else like it: there is nothing else in the world
William Faulkner quotes: Hollywood is a place where a man can get stabbed in the back while climbing a ladder. Hollywood is a place where a man can get stabbed in the back while climbing a ladder.
William Faulkner quotes: I learned that words are no good; that words dont ever fit even what they are trying to say at. I learned that words are no good; that words dont ever fit even what they are trying to say at.
William Faulkner quotes: Idleness breeds our better virtues. Idleness breeds our better virtues.
William Faulkner quotes: The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it. The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.
William Faulkner quotes: Wonder. Go on and wonder. Wonder. Go on and wonder.
William Faulkner quotes: Women will show pride and honor about almost anything except love ... Women will show pride and honor about almost anything except love ...
William Faulkner quotes: I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil, I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil,
William Faulkner quotes: Time, the spaces of light and dark, had long since lost orderliness. Time, the spaces of light and dark, had long since lost orderliness.
William Faulkner quotes: Don't be 'a writer'. Be writing. Don't be 'a writer'. Be writing.
William Faulkner quotes: And even a liar can be scared into telling the truth, same as honest man can be tortured into telling a lie. And even a liar can be scared into telling the truth, same as honest man can be tortured into telling a lie.
William Faulkner quotes: Let the past abolish the past when and if it can substitute something better. Let the past abolish the past when
and if
it can substitute something better.
William Faulkner quotes: Women are never virgins. Purity is a negative state and therefore contrary to nature. Women are never virgins. Purity is a negative state and therefore contrary to nature.
William Faulkner quotes: It was just public opinion in an acute state of indigestion. It was just public opinion in an acute state of indigestion.
William Faulkner quotes: Man the sum of his climatic experiences Man the sum of his climatic experiences
William Faulkner quotes: Ingenuity was apparently given man in order that he may supply himself in crises with shapes and sounds with which to guard himself from truth. Ingenuity was apparently given man in order that he may supply himself in crises with shapes and sounds with which to guard himself from truth.

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