Penelope Fitzgerald Quotes

To every separate person a thing is what he thinks it is – in other words, not a thing, but a think.

Helping other people is a drug so dangerous that there is no cure short of total abstention.

I have remained true to my deepest convictions. I mean the courage of those who are born to be defeated, the weaknesses of the strong, and the tragedy of misunderstandings and missed opportunities, which I have done my best to treat as comedy—for otherwise how can we manage to bear it?

It is interesting to note that everyone has a different take on the world, a different opinion, and given the same inputs have completely different outputs.

If they don't depend on true evidence, scientists are no better than gossips.

The body, then, has a mind of its own. It must follow, then, that the Mind has a body of its own, even if it’s like nothing that we can see around us, or have ever seen.

I believe that people should write biographies only about people they love, or understand, or both. Novels, on the other hand, are often better if they're about people the writer doesn't like very much.

Morality is seldom a safe guide for human conduct.

On the whole, I think you should write biographies of those you admire and respect, and novels about human beings who you think are sadly mistaken.

An unjust punishment is never forgotten.

A word of advice. If, as a young man, student, you are tormented by a desire for women, it is best to get out into the fresh air as much as possible.

Experiences aren't given to us to be 'got over,' otherwise they would hardly be experiences.

A good book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life, and as such it must surely be a necessary commodity.

Duty is what no-one else will do at the moment.

More than that, I believe that the grass is green because green is restful to the human eye, that the sky is blue to give us an idea of the infinite. And that blood is red so that murder will be more easily detected and criminals will be brought to justice. Yes, and I believe that I shall live forever, but I shall live without reason.

Behind their dark glass, the mad own nothing.

It's very good for an idea to be commonplace. The important thing is that a new idea should develop out of what is already there so that it soon becomes an old acquaintance. Old acquaintances aren't by any means always welcome, but at least one can't be mistaken as to who or what they are.

Surely you have to succeed, if you give everything you have.' 'I don't see why. Everyone has to give everything they have eventually. They have to die. Dying can't be called a success.