132 Quotes by John Knowles

We reminded them of what peace was like, of lives which were not bound up with destruction.

Phineas just walked serenely on, or rather flowed on, rolling forward in his white sneakers with such unthinking unity of movement that “walk” didn’t describe it.

There are simply more young people than there ever were. You get this feeling of strength. Also, large numbers can be a drawback, making it difficult to lose one’s anonymity.

There are special, strange gifted people in the world and they have to be treated with understanding.

I thought the issue was settled until at the end he said, ‘Listen, pal, if I can’t play sports, you’re going to play them for me,’ and I lost part of myself to him, and a soaring sense of freedom revealed that this must have been my purpose from the first: to become a part of Phineas.

I believe you. It’s okay because I understand and I believe you. You’ve already shown me and I believe you.

The war was and is reality for me.

The Master was slipping from his official position momentarily, and it was just possible, if Phineas pressed hard enough, that there might be a flow of simple, unregulated friendliness between them, and such flows were one of Finny’s reasons for living.

The ocean, throwing up foaming sun-sprays across some nearby rocks, was winter cold. This kind of sunshine and ocean, with the accumulating roar of the surf and the salty, adventurous, flirting wind from the sea, always intoxicated Phineas. He was everywhere, he enjoyed himself hugely, he laughed out loud at passing sea gulls. And he did everything he could think of for me.