Quotes from Betty MacDonald

Trying to gather up my thoughts was as futile as trying to pick up spilled mercury. I had two big main depressing thoughts and each time I touched them they broke into many little morbid pieces.

Taking the cure is going to be difficult for you. You have red hair—lots of energy, you're quick, active, impatient. All bad for tuberculosis. Discipline will be hard for you. The cure of tuberculosis is all discipline.

Penelope (the parrot) squawked, 'I'll do it because I want to but not because you tell me to!' Mary was certainly surprised at that because she thought that she had made up that brilliant remark. She didn't dare to look at her mother….

In the country Sunday is the day on which you do exactly as much work as you do on other days but feel guilty all the time you are doing it because Sunday is a day of rest.