James Turner Quotes & Sayings

Civilization is knowledge, even more than it is urbanization, for you cannot have the latter without the former. Everything builds on everything else. And the knowledge of civilization is kept in repositories known as ... LIBRARIES, and if books burn, civilization burns with them. — James Turner

Isn't it obvious in in today's world from people's preoccupation with self-medication, drug and alcohol use, rationalization and avoidance distraction that the truth doesn't just hurt, it's extremely painful. — James Turner

When times are bad smile, when times are good laugh. — James Turner

Now ... get Thoth a raspberry chocolate latte with the cream and chocolate sprinkles! Thoth commands, librarian! Obey! Sprinkles! THOTH HAS SPOKEN! — James Turner

Life is a series of decisions Ella, and some of us make the wrong ones. — James Turner

The Librarian has spoken, sally! We Dare Not Disobey! — James Turner

When I see imposters like ... Swinburne, [and] Fleay, who know as much early English as my dog, & who fancy they can settle Chaucer difficulties as they blow their noses, then I ridicule or kick them. But earnest students I treat with respect, & am only too glad to learn from them. — James Turner

That's it then. This is how it ends. I haven't even read Proust. — James Turner

Just because I'm a librarian doesn't mean I'm at all tame. — James Turner

Since at least the Sixth Century all librarians have received extensive combat training and are lethal with even the common toothpick. — James Turner

No one accused Frederick James Furnivall of averageness, and his career highlights the ups and downs of editorial scholarship. As eccentric as he was energetic, a Christian socialist turned agnostic, Furnivall gained a reputation for hot pink neckties, sculling on the Thames with shopgirls, and hours toiling over manuscripts in the British Museum. — James Turner

Does not people's preoccupation these days with drugs, alcohol, medication and self deception prove that the truth not only hurts, but it is torture to bear? — James Turner