Jonathan Carroll Quotes & Sayings

At a Boston signing, someone from the audience asked why I was so obsessed with furniture in my books. The question rattled around in my head. I had no idea that I was obsessed with furniture. — Jonathan Carroll

Kids own nothing. Everything is either promised, borrowed, longed for or exaggerated. — Jonathan Carroll

She became my favorite scar. — Jonathan Carroll

I don't like to have to pan for gold when I read. — Jonathan Carroll

The problem with waiting for someone, whether that wait is an hour or a lifetime, is everyone's 'clock' is different. So what you might consider forever is only a little while to them, or vice versa. — Jonathan Carroll

I think we love differently every day. Like the guy who said you can't stand in a river at exactly the same place twice. Today I love you differently than yesterday, or will tomorrow. — Jonathan Carroll

The world can be divided between people who can get a waiter's attention and those who can't. — Jonathan Carroll

You know people don't get better as we get older- we just get more of who we are. — Jonathan Carroll

Everything will haunt you, all the storms will find you, everything will remind you she's gone. — Jonathan Carroll

The fact that I'm silent doesn't mean I have nothing to say. — Jonathan Carroll

Everyone coming out of a perfume store is smelling the back of their hand. — Jonathan Carroll

Lying is too much trouble. You have to make sure to taste each word before letting it off your tongue. I hate that. It's hard enough making people understand without lying. — Jonathan Carroll

Women are always complaining about men's fascination with breasts. But what if men were absolutely indifferent to breasts? What would women do then with these things that serve one function once or twice in a lifetime, and the rest of the time are just in the way? — Jonathan Carroll

How does these things happen? How do we go mad in small ways and calmly work the madness into our everyday little exercises...?
Little by little... — Jonathan Carroll

Your boyfriend had a dream about potatoes and you're asking me to interpret it? I'm just old. Being old doesn't mean you know more; it means you ate enough fiber. — Jonathan Carroll

We're often wrong at predicting who or what will transform us. Encountering certain people, books, music, places, or ideas ... at just the right time can immediately make our lives happier, richer, more beautiful, resonant, or meaningful. When it happens, we feel a kind of instant love for them, both deep and abiding. Now and then it can be something as trifling as a children's book, a returned telephone call, or a night at a seaside bar in Mykonos. — Jonathan Carroll

Why do people always gesture with their hands when they talk on the phone? — Jonathan Carroll

One of the reasons why I liked living in Manhattan was that the city would share your mood the moment you walked out the door. If you were in a hurry, everything else was too, even the pigeons. You shared the same speed and sense of urgency to get wherever you were going.
When you had time to kill, it was happy to give you things to look at and do that easily took up whole days. I didn't agree with people who said Manhattan was a cold, indifferent town. Sure it was gruff, but it was also playful and sometimes very funny. — Jonathan Carroll

One of the saddest realities is that we never know when our lives are at their peak. Only after it is over and we have some kind of perspective do we realize how good we had it a day, a month, five years ago. — Jonathan Carroll

If you are very lucky, you're allowed to be in certain places during just the right season of your life: by the sea for the summer when you're seven or eight and full of the absolute need to swim until dark and exhaustion close their hands together, cupping you in between. — Jonathan Carroll

Coffee on an airplane always smells bad. Whenever it is served, suddenly the whole cabin stinks of it. — Jonathan Carroll

Eating is sex for old people. — Jonathan Carroll

Reading a book, for me at least, is like traveling in someone else's world. If it's a good book, then you feel comfortable and yet anxious to see what's going to happen to you there, what'll be around the next corner. But if it's a lousy book, then it's like going through Secaucus, New Jersey
it smells and you wish you weren't there, but since you've started the trip, you roll up the windows and breathe through your mouth until you're done. — Jonathan Carroll

The future is fastidious and punctual. It keeps perfect time and arrives everywhere on the dot. In contrast, its slacker brother the past has no use for clocks or appointments. It comes and goes as it pleases in our memory, camping out wherever the hell it damn well wants to in there. Untrustworthy, prone to exaggeration, biased- you wouldn't lend it ten cents, but it *sure* can be charming and seductive when it feels like it. — Jonathan Carroll

If it was as logical as that, I wouldn't continue to feel as bad as I do. I know what you're saying, and you're absolutely right in a way. But logic and rationality only go so far. Then you know what happens? Ha! Then your heart adds its two cents and everything reasonable goes right-out-the-window. — Jonathan Carroll

There's almost always a point in a book where something happens that triggers the rest of the plot. — Jonathan Carroll

If you are a success in life, there are places you must go and pay to be humiliated. It is an unwritten law that human beings must be tormented throughout their lives in one way or another. If you are fortunate enough to have risen to a social level where no one does it to you for free, then you must pay for the service. — Jonathan Carroll

Dogs are here to remind us life really is a simple thing. You eat, sleep, take walks, and pee when you must. That's about all there is. They are quick to forgive trespasses and assume strangers will be kind. — Jonathan Carroll

Part of life is a quest to find that one essential person who will understand our story. But we choose wrongly so often. Over the ensuing years that person we thought understood us best ends up regarding us with pity, indifference, or active dislike.
Those who truly care can be divided into two categories: those who understand us, and those who forgive our worst sins. Rarely do we find someone capable of both. — Jonathan Carroll

Patience never wants Wonder to enter the house: because Wonder is a wretched guest. It uses all of you but is not careful with what is most fragile or irreplaceable. If it breaks you, it shrugs and moves on. Without asking, Wonder often brings along dubious friends: doubt, jealousy, greed. Together they take over; rearrange the furniture in every one of your rooms for their own comfort. They speak odd languages but make no attempt to translate for you. They cook strange meals in your heart that leave odd tastes and smells. When they finally go are you happy or miserable? Patience is always left holding the broom. — Jonathan Carroll

Chaos doesn't do, it undoes. — Jonathan Carroll

You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip. — Jonathan Carroll

Real love is always chaotic. You lose control; you lose perspective. You lose the ability to protect yourself. The greater the love, the greater the chaos. It's a given and that's the secret. — Jonathan Carroll

Sometimes it is the smallest thing that saves us: the weather growing cold, a child's smile, and a cup of excellent coffee. — Jonathan Carroll

Sure, because it's a fairy tale. They're always so tediously moral. Nobody gets away with anything fun and all the interesting people are bad guys. — Jonathan Carroll

Tell your mother the Law of Stolen Flight.'
'Only flame, and things with wings. All the rest suffer stings. — Jonathan Carroll

I find you write with one person in mind. Usually for me that one person is my wife, because she's my most severe critic and understands best what I'm trying to do. — Jonathan Carroll

The trouble with wars is that they all look alike to people who aren't involved. Only the skin color of the dead is different. — Jonathan Carroll

My memory loves you ... it asks about you all the time. — Jonathan Carroll

When I was in college, I was the editor of the literary magazine and insisted neither the editors nor the writers be specifically identified-only our student numbers appeared on the title page. I love that idea and still do. — Jonathan Carroll

I would have given him everything. I would have pulled down planets to make our life work. — Jonathan Carroll

The only question that nobody ever asks is: What breaks your heart? I think that should be asked of all "artists." ... So, what breaks your heart? — Jonathan Carroll

Far more disturbing than any spook house at an amusement park is a ride through the old hometown if you've been away for years. — Jonathan Carroll

The Viennese wash everything. Where else in the world does the government hire public servants to wash public telephone booths and the glass over traffic lights? Every time I see someone doing these things, I smile like a child. — Jonathan Carroll

I have never heard anyone say This is it. I know right now is the high point of my life. It will never get any better. Only in retrospect do we recognize the best times and of course then it is too late. — Jonathan Carroll

I've noticed most people are at their best during the day, in the light. Night fascinates you with its mystery and potential, but it's ominous too because things are easily hidden or lost in the dark, especially control. Most species I've encountered are powerless there. No matter where that dark is - inside or out - you are all at its mercy. It's harder to lose things and easier to find them, including yourself, in the light. — Jonathan Carroll

I wish I knew the flavor of my happiness. — Jonathan Carroll

It took me less than half a lifetime to realize that regret is one of the few guaranteed certainties. Sooner or later everything is touched by it, despite our naive and senseless hope that just this time we will be spared its cold hand on our heart. — Jonathan Carroll

Learn to wait; invariably either things will change or your heart will. — Jonathan Carroll

Dogs are minor angels, and I don't mean that facetiously. They love unconditionally, forgive immediately, are the truest of friends, willing to do anything that makes us happy, etcetera. If we attributed some of those qualities to a person we would say they are special. If they had ALL of them, we would call them angelic. But because it's "only" a dog, we dismiss them as sweet or funny but little more. However when you think about it, what are the things that we most like in another human being? Many times those qualities are seen in our dogs every single day
we're just so used to them that we pay no attention. — Jonathan Carroll

I read less of everything now. With only fond memories of others' work, it will be interesting to give my own journal writing a try now. — Jonathan Carroll

Fear pounds on the door to our heart demanding to be let in. Joy is modest and often comes into our lives like a shy person entering a room; it can take a while to even notice it's there. — Jonathan Carroll

I had once thought strength of character was a hardening of oneself; an intricate protection system by which you reconciled yourself to the truths of life and learned to let them not bother you. But all systems of character building go right out the window when you find there aren't anymore truths.. or none you recognize. — Jonathan Carroll

The only way to make beauty ugly is to show it's crazy. Like twisting the top off a jar of something wonderful to eat, the moment he's hit by the terrible smell of it gone bad, even the hungriest person will drop the jar in the trash without a second thought. — Jonathan Carroll

Not responding is a response. — Jonathan Carroll

Guilt's a whore. It goes with anybody, but it's not good in bed. You're not dying, but this thing you've got with the girl is no different than my situation. We could both use up whole days feeling guilty 'bout what we didn't do in life, but why spend a day in bed with someone who doesn't give you any pleasure? — Jonathan Carroll

Like a spider web that you walk into, it is not so easy to get all the tendrils of real love off after you have passed through it. — Jonathan Carroll

Both young children and old people have a lot of time on their hands. That's probably why they get along so well. — Jonathan Carroll

How easily we ignore or forget the small kindnesses and considerations in life which are really the only everyday magic we witness on a regular basis. Just think- to make happiness out of nothing more than a few kind words or a generous gesture. — Jonathan Carroll

Dogs are the kids we've always wanted. They're totally devoted and want to live with you until they die. Not like children who can't wait to take off as soon as they grow up and don't need you anymore. — Jonathan Carroll

The questions are the danger.
Leave them alone and they sleep.
Ask them, awake them, and more than you
know will begin to rise. — Jonathan Carroll

Look around you. Watch how people function and interact with one another. You'll see this is going on everywhere all the time. People devour each other in the name of love, or family or country. But that's an excuse; they're just hungry and want to be fed. Read their faces, the newspapers, read what it says on their T-shirts! 'I think you're mistaking me for someone who gives a shit.' 'My parents went to London but all they brought me back was this lousy T-shirt.' 'So many women, so little time.' 'Whoever dies with the most toys, wins.' They're supposed to be funny, witty, and postmodern, Miranda. But the truth is they're only stating a fact: Me. I come first. Get out of my way. — Jonathan Carroll

Some people are like blue jeans- the older and more beat up they get, the better they look. — Jonathan Carroll

Just write about what bites you and damn the rest. — Jonathan Carroll

Time talks behind our back. To our face it's friendly and logical, never hesitating to give more of itself. But when we're not looking, it steals our lives and says bad things about us to the parts of us it's stolen — Jonathan Carroll

I feel like a cliche. — Jonathan Carroll

Its easy to lose sight of what you want when you think you want everything. — Jonathan Carroll

She was 3/4 perfection and 1/4 broken glass. — Jonathan Carroll

One splendid summer afternoon Kaspar realized he had never been happier in his life or both of his lives, past and present. Not fireworks-orgasms-and-champagne happy, but on waking in the morning he was glad almost every single day to be exactly where he was. He had never before experienced the feeling of genuine, constant well-being and it was a true revelation. The longer the satisfaction continued, the less he thought about his previous life as a mechanic and the extraordinary things he'd once seen and been able to do. Misery may love company but happiness is content to be alone. The funny irony of his existence now was, as long as he was this happy and content with his lot, Kaspar didn't need to make much of an effort to "walk away" from his mechanic's life because now he was sated with this one both in mind and heart. — Jonathan Carroll

I write about what interests me. It's very dangerous when you try to satisfy an audience. — Jonathan Carroll

Most men, no matter how well or badly dressed, carry overstuffed, beat up wallets that should have been replaced years ago. Why is that? Every time I see a guy take out a wallet anywhere, it looks like a piece of old melted chocolate cake-with strings. — Jonathan Carroll

There are people we meet in life who miss being important to us by inches, days, or heartbeats. Another place or time or a different emotional frame of mind and we would willingly fall into their arms; gladly take up their challenge or invitation. But as it is, we encounter them when we are discontent or content and they are not. Whatever they are, we are not and vice versa. Two trains going in different directions that pass for a few powerful moments at full speed, blasting noise and wind but then they are gone. Whatever serious chemistry might have been possible if, isn't. — Jonathan Carroll

Pilot had never seen this particular ghost before. Head resting on paws, he mildly wondered what it was doing here. Dogs see ghosts about as often as people see cats. They're there but they're no big deal. — Jonathan Carroll

Everything you want in life has teeth. — Jonathan Carroll

When you love someone deeply, you know secrets they haven't told you yet. Or secrets they aren't even aware of themselves ... She was also the person I wanted to share the trivia of my life with, because that too is part of the magic of concern: Whatever you live is important to them and they will help you through it. — Jonathan Carroll

In Poland, my audience is all women between 18 and 30. At U.S. conventions, you have the fantasy and science fiction crowd. At Harvard you have an entirely different audience. It's so schizophrenic. — Jonathan Carroll

These days the couple coexisted uneasily in an edgy state where both knew a separation was inevitable and imminent but neither was brave enough to say so. They were in the almost-terminal stage where trivial things the partner does are keenly noticed and continuously resented; how they wipe the kitchen counters after a meal, the messy state of the bathroom after their shower, the toilet seat up, the toilet seat down. Things routinely ignored before, much less cared about, now glimmered like they were Day-Glo purple, or stunk like milk gone bad. — Jonathan Carroll

In the end, each of us has only one story to tell. It takes a lifetime to live that story but sometimes less than an hour to tell it. The — Jonathan Carroll

Salzburg ... is a mountain town with a rushing river running right through the center, everything in the rain various shades of green and brown. — Jonathan Carroll

Not only do you lose a person to death, but you lose their noise too - their noise and smells, gestures and facial expressions. You lose the way they talk and phrase things and laugh, the way they fill in your blanks without ever thinking about it or having to try. You lose things you love about them they don't even know they possess. — Jonathan Carroll

Here's something you must know and don't forget it - animals never lie. They don't like, they don't put on disguises, and they are always true to what they are. That's why you can trust them. — Jonathan Carroll

People who truly love us can be divided into two categories: those who understand us, and those who forgive us our worst sins. Rarely do you find someone capable of both. — Jonathan Carroll

Krakow is one of my favorite places on earth. It is a medieval city full of young people. A wonderful, striking combination. — Jonathan Carroll

The Angel of Death was nothing special to look at: it had manifested itself today as a plate of someone's finished meal of bacon and eggs. Egg yolk was smeared across the white plate. Inside this smear were scattered bread crumbs. — Jonathan Carroll

One of the joys of being a dog is that they have no concept of the word "future." Everything is right now, and if right now happens to be a warm floor and a full stomach, then life is good. — Jonathan Carroll

May this house stand until an ant drinks the ocean and a tortoise circles the world. — Jonathan Carroll

BUYING A PAIR OF shoes is one of the most optimistic acts I know, next to falling in love. I like nothing better than to see an old man wearing a brand new pair of brogues or cap-toed oxfords, preferably jaunty orange-brown, unscuffed, heels unworn. We want to be here tomorrow, but buying new shoes, like falling in love, says I plan on being here tomorrow. — Jonathan Carroll

The first great real intimacy between two people begins when secrets are told. — Jonathan Carroll

Some people are more forgiving when they understand a situation, while others become even more furious once they see the whole picture. — Jonathan Carroll

Great sleep dreams seduce and sometimes torture. The best ones can almost break our heart when we awaken from them and find ourselves back ... here. — Jonathan Carroll

Only the guilty and the lovers really fear. The first because of what they are, the second for what they might lose. — Jonathan Carroll

I've never seen myself as a fantasy writer - ever. — Jonathan Carroll

I started a short story but it was so dreary that even my pen threw up. — Jonathan Carroll

I forgive nothing. If you stole my orange crayon in the fifth grade, you're still on my hit list, buddy. — Jonathan Carroll

Yo can always take back the lost parts of yourself if you can find and recognize them. — Jonathan Carroll

People are always waiting to be discovered. — Jonathan Carroll

Animals are on earth to protect mankind. When you gather a bunch of them together like this, you create a safe haven. Nothing can touch you here. — Jonathan Carroll

It's always fun to walk down the street with or behind a really beautiful woman, for no reason other than to see how the world reacts to them. — Jonathan Carroll

A short story is a sprint, a novel is a marathon. Sprinters have seconds to get from here to there and then they are finished. Marathoners have to carefully pace themselves so that they don't run out of energy (or in the case of the novelist
ideas) because they have so far to run. To mix the metaphor, writing a short story is like having a short intense affair, whereas writing a novel is like a long rich marriage. — Jonathan Carroll

Lions should be strong but sweet beasts in a Disney cartoon. But they aren't, so when they act like lions you're angry at them for not being the fantasy animals you imagined. Russian bears don't put on top hats and ride unicycles. Or sleep in bed next to Goldilocks. People force them to do those stupid things in circuses and films and children's books. Sure, some will be more docile or more ferocious than others, but in the end they will always, always be bears. And you should never turn your back on them. You should never even get near them; it's that simple. They're not being dishonest - you are in your perception of them. — Jonathan Carroll