Quotes from James Clavell

Let's piss on the bargain.

Always remember, child,' her first teacher had impressed on her, 'that to think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral you down into ever-increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline—training—is about.

Only merchants have money to waste, and what are they but parasites who create nothing, grow nothing, make nothing but feed off another's labor?

Men don't apologize to ladies. Whatever they do is correct.

Trupul nu-i decat o biata coliba pierduta in pustie.

And yet you have faith in the King," Father Donovan said quietly.

The talk had turned to business, and in the few short hours she had learned more about Hong Kong techniques than through all the reading she had done. More and more it was clear that unless you were on the inside, real power and real riches would escape you.

He took a deep breath of air. Once again he caught a strangeness on the wind, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, neither odor nor perfume—just strange, and curiously exciting. "Superintendent, what's that smell? Casey noticed it too, the moment Sven opened the door." Armstrong hesitated. Then he smiled. "That's Hong Kong's very own, Mr. Bartlett. It's money.

No tienes que llorar, O-chan. La vida sólo es un sueño dentro de un sueño —dijo el viejo

only the emperor among three hundred millions is allowed to use vermilion ink. Imagine that. If Queen Victoria said, 'From now on, only I am allowed to use vermilion,' as much as we love her, forty thousand Britons would instantly forswear all ink but vermilion. I would mysel'.

Then, alone once more, he split himself into the three persons that all generals of the Church must simultaneously be. First, the anointed Peter, first Bishop of Christ, with all that that spiritually implied. Second, the militant guardian of the Church temporal with all that that implied. And last, just a simple man who believed the teachings of a simple man who was the Son of God.

Without privacy, civilized life could not exist.

Qué son las nubes, si no un pretexto para el cielo? ¿Qué es la vida, si no una huida de la muerte?

Their souls touch and I seem to be more aware of God because of it.

Lend a little and you have a debtor—lend a lot and you have a partner!

My captain will help you be very quick. Within three sticks." The unit of time was the time it took for a standard stick of incense to smolder away, approximately one hour for one stick.

and damned nomads in Mesopotamia have again cut the telegraph—another expeditionary force is being organized to deal with them once and for all!

How could such a pretty girl become known as the Hag, she wondered. It must be hateful to become old in face and body when you're young at heart and still strong and tough—so unfair for a woman.

The subject of the chapter is not what we might expect from the title.

reminding himself to remember forever that the pen's a long arm from the grave.

those who are young will take risks which even the devil would pass by.

There are seven emotions, neh? Joy, anger, anxiety, adoration, grief, fear, and hate. If a man doesn't give way to these, he's patient. I'm

Tomorrow does not exist. There is only now .

It's only Christian to be chivalrous to your enemies.