Historical Novel Quotes

“I felt hot under my Mutton sleeves. "I just wish he'd have the decency to say whatever he came to say in front of his wife."
"Perhaps his wife is busy today."
"She shouldn't be." His wife should track him like a bloodhound.”
― Diana Forbes, Mistress Suffragette

“Some people like the Jews, and some do not. But no thoughtful man can deny the fact that they are, beyond any question, the most formidable and most remarkable race which has appeared in the world.
— Winston S. Churchill”
― Ellen Brazer, Clouds Across the Sun

“Let him who knows who he is be no other but himself.”
― Anton Sammut, Memories of Recurrent Echoes

“They stood in the pool of lantern light, the house still around them. She placed a hand to calm his still heaving chest, the heat of his body fresh from travel. The coolness of her hand made him start, then he pulled her close. It was more than her body he needed.”
― Leslie K. Simmons, Red Clay, Running Waters

“The intermittent depression that had shadowed him throughout his adult life was about to envelop him once again. ”
― Erik Larson, The Devil in the White City

“As libertines we seek to find and provide pleasures for others before pleasing ourselves. Libertines are never boorish, profane or blasphemous. We seek to lessen any cause for offence while maximizing pleasure. After our liaisons, our return is eagerly anticipated, and our departure is mourned. For most men the reverse is the case. In a world where most men are barely on before they are off again, we take the time and the care to be gentle lovers and build the sighs and the panting of true delight.”
― Harry F. MacDonald, Casanova and the Devil's Doorbell

“Shit rolls downhill. Bureaucracy rolls faster.”
― David Wellington

“…they looked about as careful and as discreet as a troupe of Visigoths at an afternoon tea party.”
― Harry F. MacDonald, Casanova and the Devil's Doorbell

“She is my friend, and there is nothing you can say or do that can stop me from helping her.”
― Peter G. Nogel

“Güvendin değil mi? Bilmeliydin, emrindeki Germiyanlıların yanımdaki beylerine geleceğini. Bilmeliydin, kara tatarların yanımdaki soydaşlarına geleceğini. Bilmeliydin, Saruhanlıların yanımdaki şehzadeyi seçeceğini. Ve bilmeliydin, ben bu diyarın ve ötesinin en büyük hükümdarıyım. Ben Cengizsoylu oğullara ve torunlara sahip, sahipkıranım. Ben Cengiz'in damadıyım.”
― Deniz Canan, Larende'nin Yükselişi

“A good measure of a society’s primitiveness is the way in which it treats its poor.”
― Juliane Weber

“But there is no need to know danger in order to fear it; indeed, it may be observed, that it is usually unknown perils that inspire the greatest terror.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

“Kapalı odasında, yalnız hayatında ; düşünceler içinde okudukları ile sarmalandığında hayat ne güvenliydi.”
― Deniz Canan, Larende'nin Düşüşü

“It would be wrong, however, to judge the actions of one era from the perspective of another. What would be regarded today as shameful for a man of honour was in those days an entirely simple and natural thing.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers

“I continued, regardless: "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another, with no loss of enthusiasm."
"What does that mean?"
"It takes real strength and ability to experience repeated failure and keep moving toward your goal, even when nothing appears to be coming of it, without losing enthusiasm. It signifies a desire for self-improvement; a need to constantly learn from your mistakes...”
― Mariia Manko, Finding Martin Eden: Travels to Find Myself

“Judith.” Her mother glanced at her with a curious look on her face. “You seem a might bit distracted this evening. Is something the matter?”
“Nothing’s the matter, Mama,” she mumbled.
“Then I suggest, dear, that you put the sampler down before you stain it with your blood.” Her mother smiled tenderly at her.”
― Anne Perreault, An Unusual Adventure

“She had seen the faces of shattered dreams, the zippy Ziegfeld girls, the doll-faced divorcées, the wellborn wives in opulent ivory towers, knocked down and knocked right out.”
― Pamela Hamilton, Lady Be Good: The Life and Times of Dorothy Hale

“History belongs to those who write it.”
― J Stanion, My Place Among Them

“Vahşi hayvanlar ölüleri çekiştiriyor, karga sürüleri ziyafet çekiyordu. Timur’un ünlü kuleleri de bu ölüm tarlasının üzerinde yükseliyordu. Kellelerden kulelerdi bunlar. Osmanoğlu’nun en büyük şehzadesi Süleyman’ın tebaası işte orada yatıyordu.”
― Deniz Canan, Larende'nin Düşüşü

“Beni mahvetti. Gülüşüyle aklımı çeldi. Bakışıyla kalbimi mühürledi. Bahtıma yalnızca birkaç cilve düştü. Sonrasında ateşin çevresinde dönen bir pervane böceği oldum. Evet umutsuz ama belki bir umut bulurum diye darma duman.”
― Deniz Canan, Larende'nin Düşüşü

“I wished that old Diogenes, groping so patiently with his lantern, searching so zealously for one solitary honest man in all the world, might meander along and stumble on our party. I ought not to say it, may be, but still I suppose he would have put out his light." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Fame is a hungry monster; it is never satisfied." Bayard Taylor”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“The solitude revealed a drama that showed how frivolous was everything within the place from whence we had come." Hans Christian Andersen”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Much that we learned, much that we saw, much that we heard, we will forget, but still a store of softly-tinted images will remain in our memories. We will remember something." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Boldness breeds boldness." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“Solemn, grand, and beautiful, it will always remain in our memories." Mark Twain”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“One author is too favorable, another too severe, and I foresee that, inasmuch as my path lies between the two extremes, I shall be, to some extent, discredited by both sides." Bayard Taylor”
― Iota Angel, The Island Beyond the Coast - Book II: A real-life journey set in Greece during the 19th century with Bayard Taylor & Mark Twain

“-Kızım biliyorsun, amcan Abdülhamid tam 33 yıl tahtta kaldı. Allah uzun ömür versin, 33 yıl ondan habersiz kuş uçamadı koca imparatorlukta. Çok hizmetleri oldu, çok hayratlar, okullar, hastaneler yaptırdı. Her tür savaştan alabildiğine kaçındı, ip üstünde bir cambaz gibi hünerle yönetti imparatorluğa ama...
Sanki birisi duyacakmış gibi korkuyla sesini alçatarak devam etti.
-Ama pek vesveseli, pek güvensizdi. Kendinden başka kimseyi dinlemez, kimseye güvenmezdi. Hele orduya hiç. Kendine karşı ihtilal yaparlar diye donanmayı Haliç'te çürüttüğünden yakınırdı ya hep rahmetli baban. Gerçi otuz üç yıl ülkeyi hiç savaşa sokmadı ama bu Devleti Ali'nin toprak kaybetmesini engellemedi ki...”
― Melike İlgün, Enver Paşa'nın Sultanı: Onu Bu Kadar Sevmeseydi Tarih Böyle Yazılmazdı

“Tonight," began Potapov, his wrinkled nose twitching above his thin lips, "we plan to pass a new resolution, not just for Ispas, but for all the villages in the region. Effective immediately and until further notice, every horse breeder, like you, Comrade Lazar, will not just try, but will ensure—no, he will guarantee—the pregnancy and birth of all female horses!" The fifty people in the hall fell silent, and Potapov asked, "Is that clear? Is there anything unclear in my words?"
"Anything unclear in my words?" Isabel echoed him.
"Yes, Comrade Potapov," Roman replied. "There are some unclear aspects." Isabelle and Sissy pinched him, and Isabelle mimicked Potapov's grating tenor, "One hundred percent pregnancy and birth of all female horses!" Sissy nearly burst into laughter. Roman detached himself from his wife and sister and strode to the aisle between the benches, where he could speak without their interruptions.
"You claim to be an animal husbandry expert from Moscow?" Roman inquired. "Please enlighten us on how to achieve such remarkable outcomes."
Ostap stood up—Ostap, who never spoke at these meetings! Even Yana was taken aback. "Excuse me," Ostap said, seemingly astonished at his own audacity, "but is that what they call female horses in Moscow, 'women mares'? Because here in Ukraine, we simply call them 'mares'."
"Never mind that," dismissed Potapov.
"And by the way, mares don't 'give birth'," Ostap added, his eyes ablaze with animosity and his voice dripping with scorn. "They foal."
"Let's proceed," Potapov gestured towards the Lazar family members seated with Mirik and Petka. "Comrade Zhuk has informed me about you, the Lazar family," he stated. Petka immediately stood up and moved to another seat. Mirik also shifted his chair slightly further away—just a few centimeters, but it was enough! He distanced himself so as not to be associated with the troublesome Lazars, Isabelle realized. Incredible. As problematic as his wife.”
― Paulina Simons

“Ukraine, March 1929

Roman and Ostap founded an organization called OWK. They handcrafted leaflets with thick pencils and distributed them across the city, sticking them to doors and walls. When an OGPU agent of Afros confronted Roman, he boldly stated, "I serve the revolution, comrade. What about you?" Later, Afros and Zhuk summoned the brothers to a commandeered house in the village square. There, Zhuk questioned if Roman wanted to be sent to Murmansk, which Roman refused. He argued that no kulaks were left in Ispas after the severe purge six weeks earlier. Therefore, they decided to form a group open to everyone, planning its first meeting for the next week. OWK, standing for 'Organization without Kulaks,' was envisioned by Roman as a collective for the non-wealthy farmers of Ispas. He believed that maintaining class struggle among Ukrainian farmers was difficult, as the categories changed with each harvest. Given the recent bad harvest and the absence of kulaks, Roman was unsure how to continue the class conflict as Zhuk had outlined. Nonetheless, he reassured Zhuk with a friendly smile about their commitment to removing the last anti-communist elements, thus establishing OWK. Jock insisted that true commitment meant joining collectivization. Roman recognized the inefficiency of small farms and was open to discussing it further, alluding to important details about the Lazar family's land.”
― Paulina Simons