Quotes from Alfred Doblin

Much unhappiness comes from walking alone. When there are several, it's somewhat different. I must get into the habit of listening to others, for what the others say concerns me, too.

I read like the flame reads the wood.

He swore to all the world and to himself that he would remain decent. And as long as he had money, he remained decent. But then he ran out of money, which was a moment he had been waiting for, to show them all what he was made of.

So, go on rising, sun, you don't frighten us. We don't care about your many miles, your diameter, your volume. Warm sun, just rise, bright light, arise. You are not big, you are not small, you are happiness.

I have seen apes only at the fair, they must perform tricks, are chained up, a bitter fate, no human has one so hard

What are you afraid of, mister, it won't be so bad. You won't die. Berlin's a big place. Where thousands live, there's room for one more.

Drink, little brother, drink, leave your worries at home, feel no trouble, feel no pain, life is a jolly refrain, feel no trouble and feel no pain, life is a jolly refrain.

Reality is very stupid sometimes, and we ought to help it out a little.

No one should let himself fall slave to his own opinion.

Skurken är naturligtvis mer syndig, men dessa hedervärda utan hederskänsla är, om ni så vill, värda ett större förakt.

All your decent work is slavery, didn't you say so yourself, that's what decent work is. Yep, and that's what I found out.

Uma vez já caí na armadilha de uma palavra, tive de pagar um preço amargo...

Men sedan man har upplevat och förstått mycket, att då ännu hålla fast, att icke dö utan känna, icke avvika utan hålla stånd, det är något.

Wir waren 7 hungrige Mäuler, und wenn es nichts zu essen gab, hat er uns Geschichten erzählt. Man wird nicht satt davon, aber man vergißt." S.22

Man muß die Welt sehen können und zu ihr hingehn." S.25

Sabeis como é, s'o pai é uma plantinha, quer logo qu'o filho seja árvore. S'o pai é uma pedra, o filho tem que ser uma montanha.

No country is so peaceful as the one that leads into death. Life arches above one's head like a bridgespan, and below it flows the water, carries the boat, takes it further.

But the main things about a man are his eyes and his feet. He should be able to see the world and go after it.

And if you ask again whether there is any justice in the world, you'll have to be satisfied with the reply: Not for the time being; at any rate, not up to this Friday.

The cities are the principal home and seat of the human group. They are the coral colony for Man, the collective being.

You shouldn't be a big shot about your fate. I'm an enemy of Destiny, I'm not a Greek, I'm a Berliner.

One encounters very capable fathers abashed by their piano-playing daughters. Three measures of Schumann make them red with embarrassment.