697 Quotes by John Irving

We permit bad taste in this country. In fact, we even encourage it - and reward it in all manner of ways.

Ambition robs you of your childhood. The moment you want to become an adult—in any way—something in your childhood dies.

But I felt certain that if the world would stop indulging wars and famines and other perils, it would be possible for human beings to embarrass each other to death. Our self-destruction might take a little longer that way, but I believe it would be no less complete.

I don't think I've had a very interesting life, and I feel that is a great liberation. That gives me great freedom as a fiction writer. Nothing that happened holds any special tyranny over me.

We invent what we love and what we fear.

It happens to many teenagers-that moment when you feel full of resentment or distrust for those adults you once loved unquestioningly.

Safer than we are.” I told Franny. “Safer than love.” “let me tell ya kid,” Franny said to me, squeezing my hand. “Everything’s safer than love.

I do know where I'm going and it's just a matter of finding the language to get there.

The main character and the most important character are not always the same person - you have to know the difference.