603 Quotes by Alexander McCall Smith

How often have I noticed or, indeed, listened to him? We talk, but do I actually listen, or is our conversation mainly a question of my waiting for him to stop and for it to be my turn to say something? For how many of us is that what conversation means - the setting up of our lines?

That was the trouble with people in general: they were surprisingly unrealistic in their expectations.

The juvenile adage Never kiss and tell had a sound moral instinct behind it.

And if you do see any pirates, I don't want you to pick up any rough manners from them. Do you understand?

Mma Ramotswe reflected on how easy it was to find oneself committed to a course of action simply because one lacked the courage to say no.

...this woman, moved by some private sorrow as much as the words being spoken, cried almost silently, unobserved by others, apart from Mma Ramotswe, who stretched out her hand and laid it on her shoulder. Do not cry, Mma, she began to whisper, but changed her words even as she uttered them, and said quietly, Yes, you can cry, Mma. We should not tell people not to weep - we do it because of our sympathy for them - but we should really tell them that their tears are justified and entirely right.

Sometimes it was difficult to be as tolerant as he wanted to be; but then, thought Ulf, the whole point about high ideals is that they are high. Being Swedish was not always easy, but you had to do your best, and hope that you didn't slip, and become... well, Mediterranean in outlook.

Tolerance was like one of those soothing creams—it drew out inflammation, it did away with the pain.

Putting Mr. Polopetsi in charge of the investigation is like putting a rabbit in charge of the airport.