The spirit is smothered, as it were, by ignorance, but so soon as ignorance is destroyed, spirit shine forth, like the sun when released from clouds.
—Adi Shankaracharya (Indian Hindu Philosopher)
Those who are going to be in business tomorrow are those who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the brave.
—William Bernbach (American Advertising Executive)
The future of architecture does not lie so much in continuing to fill up the landscape as in bringing back life and order to our cities and towns.
—Gottfried Bohm (German Architect)
Stealing to eat ain’t criminal-stealing to be rich is.
—Andrew Vachss (American Attorney, Author)
Life is given to use, we earn it by giving it.
—Rabindranath Tagore (Bengali Poet, Polymath)
Among the instrumentalities of love and peace, surely there can be no sweeter, softer, more effective voice than that of gentle peace-breathing music.
—Elihu Burritt (American Pacifist)
The more you practice what you know, the more shall you know what to practice.
—William Jenkyn (English Clergyman)
How helpless we are, like netted birds, when we are caught by desire!
—Belva Plain (American Novelist)
Ninety percent of politics is deciding whom to blame.
—Meg Greenfield (American Journalist, Socialite)
Patriotism is a kind of religion; it is the egg from which wars are hatched.
—Guy de Maupassant (French Short-story Writer)
Ever notice that people never say “It’s only a game” when they’re winning?
—Ivern Ball (American Writer, Aphorist)
Smart is an elusive concept. There’s a certain sharpness, an ability to absorb new facts. To ask an insightful question. To relate to domains that may not seem connected at first. A certain creativity that allows people to be effective.
—Bill Gates (American Businessperson)
In every question and every remark tossed back and forth between lovers who have not played out the last fugue, there is one question and it is this: “Is there someone new?”
—Edna O’Brien (Irish Author)
No war is inevitable until it breaks out.
—A. J. P. Taylor (English Historian)
Life is to be lived, not controlled, and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.
—Ralph Ellison (American Novelist)