196 Quotes by Louis-Ferdinand Céline

The novel can’t compete with cars, the movies, television, and liquor. A guy who’s had a good feed and tanked up on good wine gives his old lady a kiss after supper and his day is over. Finished.

Truth is a pain which will not stop. And the truth of this world is to die. You must choose: either dying or lying. Personally, I have never been able to kill myself.

Life is filigree work. What is written clearly is not worth much, it’s the transparency that counts.

To hell with reality! I want to die in music, not in reason or in prose. People don’t deserve the restraint we show by not going into delirium in front of them. To hell with them!

History doesn’t pass the dishes again.

Since life consists of madness spiked with lies, the farther you are from each other the more lies you can put into it and the happier you’ll be. That’s only natural and normal. Truth is inedible.

People don’t deserve the restraint we show by not going into delirium in front of them.

Never believe straight off in a man’s unhappiness. Ask him if he can still sleep. If the answer’s “yes,” all’s well. That is enough.

We’ve no use for intellectuals in this outfit. What we need is chimpanzees. Let me give you a word of advice: never say a word to us about being intelligent. We will think for you, my friend. Don’t forget it.