Quotes from Marlon James

Three year in prison and a dick is just another thing to put up your ass.

Jamaicans are so unflappable, they might as well be Minnesotans.

Meanwhile, I watch and work up my rage at men, who can be villainous to all, but virtuous to some. Watching them be kind to children should make me think of them as better men, but it make them worse, for no other wicked is more wicked than choosing with who you dole out kindness.

You sure you can handle big woman chat, pickney? You sure you ready for that journey? You think good before you answer. Because some people about to forget that me be the head bloodcloth nigger in here. Now, go peel two potato and don't draw me tongue out in this place.

Because every man who fight monster become a monster too, and there be at least one woman in Kingston who think me is the killer of all things name hope.

hate people like that, people you have to protect while they keep hurting you.

You'll be asking of love next," he said. "Well, do you have love for the man, and does the man love you?" He looked straight at me. Either he just grew whiskers, or I just saw them. "Nobody loves no one," he said. He turned away and nodded at the tree.

The moon moved in so close she eavesdropped on us.

Soldiers are fools not paid enough to be fools.

TRACKER: It was the year your most excellent King shat his most excellent life out in the most excellent shit pit. INQUEST: Speaking ill of the King is punishable by death in the South Kingdom. TRACKER: He's a corpse, not a king.

Then coffin, black with silver handles with the dead boy in a black velvet suit. If you're never gonna sweat why not go out in winter style?

Lilith. Named you meself. Did you know Adam had a first wife before Eve? Called her Lilith, but the bitch was too headstrong so got rid of her, he did. Headstrong, another word for uppity.

I swear to God I can't remember when I had a handbag. I know for some woman it's like an eleventh finger and you don't even think about it, even if you change every day. But I can't remember the handbag either. Who can run with a handbag?

When you come into the real truth about yourself, you realize that the only person equipped to handle it is you. Some men can't even handle that, which is why Bellevue always full.

You could have a family of one and still drive them apart.

It's not the actual crime that makes me want to leave, it's the possibility that it can happen any time, any second now, even in the next minute. That it might never happen at all, but I'll think it will happen any second now for the next ten years.

If you going rape me, rape me already and leave me in whichever ditch you leave woman. Just stop bore me with your r'asscloth mouth

People with a plan see and wait for the right time.

A lot of women but they are all moving. It takes me a while to see that they are all getting something to give to the men, food, a stool, water, matches for their weed, more food, juice from big Igloos. Livication and liberation my ass, if I wanted to live in a Victorian novel I at least want men who know how to get a decent haircut.

Some people just fated to fuck up even when them smart enough to know better.

you see and wait

You different, Lilith. You have more darkness 'bout you now. You turning into woman, Homer say to her. —Me turning into something, Lilith say.

Now he is a man who could talk to God and the devil and make them work out they difference--as long as neither of them have a woman.

You ever feel like home is the one place you can't go back to? It's like you promise yourself when you got out of bed and combed your hair that this evening, when I get back I'll be a different woman in a new place. And now you can't go back because the house expects something from you.