60 Quotes by Joseph Bruchac

Strong words outlast the paper they are written upon.

Another of the hard things about being in a war, grandchildren, is that although there are times of quiet when the fighting has stopped, you know you will soon be fighting again. Those quiet times give you the chance to think about what has happened. Some of it you would rather not think about, as you remember the pain and the sorrow. You also have time to worry about what will happen when you go into battle again.

We need to walk to know sacred places, those around us and those within. We need to walk to remember the songs.

Never think that war is a good thing, grandchildren. Though it may be necessary at times to defend our people, war is a sickness that must be cured. War is a time out of balance. When it is truly over, we must work to restore peace and sacred harmony once again.

Kill every enemy twice, Wilky said. Better than gettin' shot by a soldier pretending to be dead.

One of the things I've been taught by Native American elders is the importance of patience, of waiting to do things when the time is right.

My grandfather, Jesse Bowman, was of Abenaki Indian descent. He could barely read and write, but I remember him as one of the kindest people I ever knew. I followed him everywhere. He showed me how to walk quietly in the woods and how to fish.

My family is Abenaki Indian on my mother's side. My father's side of the family is Slovak, and we also have some English ancestry.

I was a very avid reader when I was a child, and I also was a good listener.