Top 10 Quotes from Books I love!
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “That Stings!.”
Franz Kafka said, “We ought to read only books that bite and sting us.” Now, the problem with me is that every book I read bites and stings me in its own way! Which is why for my Top 10 Tuesday feature this week, I decided to compile the Top 10 Quotes from Books I love!
Trust me, this was not an easy task for me because: a) I have too many ‘all-time’ favorite books and b) I have too many quotes from those books that I absolutely love! After editing this list for the hundredth time, I guess I am ready to share it now!
1. My list of books always begins with ‘Gone With the Wind’ – Margaret Mitchell
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”
Oh this heartbreaking line which tells us that Rhett Butler is positively finished with his relationship with Scarlett.
2. Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
“At the temple there is a poem called “Loss” carved into the stone. It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out. You cannot read loss, only feel it.”
That moment, when the elderly Sayuri narrates the story! You read this quote and it truly stings you!
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”
That moment when you read the quote and realize the deeper meaning, which the author has shown through symbolism and irony in the strength of both Mariam and Laila. Despite the hardships, Laila honors the memory of Mariam through the intensity of a thousand splendid suns!
4. Lolita – Vladimir Nobokov
“It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.”
The quote that became the motto for love; also leaves you with mixed emotions about the Humbert!
5. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
“The Bhagavad Gita–that ancient Indian Yogic text–says that it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection.”
The one quote that motivates you to live your own perfectly imperfect life! This one is special because this is one of the books that I read that gave me the inner strength I needed to break free!
6. Princess – Jean Sasson
“Poverty can turn a person into a flaming torch for change and revolution, without which mankind would come to a standstill.”
The true story of Princess Sultana of Saudi Arabia and her life behind the veil will captivate you!
7. Not Without My Daughter – Betty Mahmoody, William Hoffer
“You are here for the rest of your life. Do you understand? You are not leaving Iran. You are here until you die.”
This gripping and powerful tale of oppression narrates the adventurous escape of one woman along with her daughter from Iran.
8. Eleven Minutes – Paulo Coelho
“At every moment of our lives, we all have one foot in a fairy tale and the other in the abyss.”
Maria and her story stays with you long after you have finished reading it. And this quote, sticks with you for the rest of your life!
9. The Alchemist – Paulo Coehlo
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
This quote from Paulo Coelho’s best book, emphasizes on the importance of having the courage to dream and follow your heart through that dream!
10. Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
“I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am everyone everything whose being-in-the-world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I’m gone which would not have happened if I had not come.”
This passage renders the perfect expression for the fundamental unfairness of life as realized by Saleem in his narrative!
Hope you like my compilation of quotes from my favorite books. I would love to know your favorites too – books or quotes from your favorite books!
Rashmi P. Menon
A Single Mother with an unbreakable passion to Live the Life! I am a Writer/Author by passion and an IT Project Manager by profession. I am also the voice of Artemis at In The Pantheon - a multi-author collaborative writing project. When not hunting as Artemis, I am busy querying agents and working on my multiple writing projects. Women Empowerment and Child Rights Advocate.
No Comments
Sarah's Attic of Treasures
Too tired to comment like I would like to. “Your number one is my all time pick as well.
<3
MindandLifeMatters
Yup, that number one never changes for me….!
Nicola Auckland
My absolute favourite excerpt from a book can’t really be called a quote, but I love it. I love the sense of movement it creates when I read it and the vivid images that pop into my head. It’s from The Great Gatsby:
We walked through a high hallway into a bright rosy-colored space, fragilely bound into the house by French windows at either end. The windows were ajar and gleaming white against the fresh grass outside that seemed to grow a little way into the house. A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags, twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake of the ceiling, and then rippled over the wine-colored rug, making a shadow on it as wind does on the sea.
The only completely stationary object in the room was an enormous couch on which two young women were buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon. They were both in white, and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house. I must have stood for a few moments listening to the whip and snap of the curtains and the groan of a picture on the wall. Then there was a boom as Tom Buchanan shut the rear windows and the caught wind died out about the room, and the curtains and the rugs and the two young women ballooned slowly to the floor.
MindandLifeMatters
The Great Gatsby is one of my top books too! I thoroughly enjoyed reading that book and it’s the kind that stays with you for a very long time!
You have chosen a good excerpt from the book! 🙂
Pingback:
Vibrant
Love 3, 5, 8, 9 and 10 <3
Great share Rashmi 🙂
I would include your challenge in our Alumni board list now 🙂
Anand 🙂
MindandLifeMatters
Thats nice! what are your favorites?
Vibrant
Hmm, difficult but most of them would be from Tao Te Ching, Bhagvad Geeta, Bhagvata Purana and Buddha. 🙂
MindandLifeMatters
Interesting, you are really into vedic scriptures! 🙂
Vibrant
Yes, Tao Te Ching is not Vedic though 🙂 Buddha was also opposed to Vedas 🙂
MindandLifeMatters
Yes, Buddha was indeed opposed to the vedas. Tao Te Ching not something I have read but from the name can figure out that it’s not vedic! 🙂
Vibrant
Yes. 🙂
Ivan Proust
MindandLifeMatters
Good choice! Any others you could recommend that’s not on my list?
Ivan Proust
MindandLifeMatters
Sounds good! Look forward to your post! 🙂
ramida78
So many books on my to-read shelve, but procrastination took away my time..
Lovely list! I love that quote from Lolita too <3.
MindandLifeMatters
I’m sure you will get to each one soon! Take your time and read as and when you can!
Yup….Lolita is an amazing book! 🙂
ramida78
Yea, I really want to read Lolita now haha.
MindandLifeMatters
Haha….enjoy! Glad to be of assistance in stirring up that interest! 😉
Arcane Owl
2 3 5 & 8 are my favourites. Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the post 🙂
MindandLifeMatters
Glad you enjoyed the post!
You should check out no. 6 and also the kite runner by Khaled Hosseini. Really good books! 🙂
Arcane Owl
I like no.6 as well, Indeed all quotes are great!!
I’m yet to read the book Kite Runner. My friends kept talking abt it.
Will surely read, once I get time. Only god knows when 😉
MindandLifeMatters
I know….time is the biggest problem with so many things to do! I’m struggling in the last couple of days to find enough time to write a short story that I have started but couldn’t manage more than a few words coz there was so much to do and so little time! Sometimes I wish there was at least 30 hours in a day! Haha
Arcane Owl
Time management – should take a course on it. But there is no time even for that 😀
Yeah, 30 hrs – will love it only when there are deadlines to meet 😉
MindandLifeMatters
Hahaha….I agree!
Arcane Owl
I sent you a mail. Did you get it??
MindandLifeMatters
Yup just got it! Thanks so much for this! I will start reading tonight. 🙂
Arcane Owl
🙂
Arcane Owl
Happy reading!! 😉
Karuna
I like them all but my favorites were 5, 8, 9, and 10. Thanks for the trip down memory lane too. I had read many of those books.
MindandLifeMatters
Yes most of them are old and they still continue to be my favorite! I highly recommend reading the ones in the list you haven’t read yet! 🙂
Pingback: