I learned to write by reading the kind of books I wished I'd written. Barbara Kingsolver More Quotes by Barbara Kingsolver More Quotes From Barbara Kingsolver It occurs to her that there is one thing about people you can never understand well enough: how entirely inside themselves they are. Barbara Kingsolver wells enough people Time cures you first, and then it kills you. Barbara Kingsolver cures firsts There are some who'd hardly lift a finger for kindness, but they would haul up a load of rock to dump on some soul they think's been too lucky. Barbara Kingsolver rocks kindness thinking I concentrate on character, theme, language, structure, voice. It actually surprises me that no matter what I write, people declare it "intently political." I'm just writing about the world I know, as it is. Wounds and griefs included. Barbara Kingsolver grief writing character A flower is a plant's way of making love. Barbara Kingsolver making-love flower way The thing is, it's my own fault. I just can't put up with a person that won't go out of his way for me. And that's what a man is. Somebody that won't go out of his way for you. I bet it says that in the dictionary. Barbara Kingsolver faults men way If it's important, your heart remembers. Barbara Kingsolver important heart remember I can think of no honorable answer. Why must some of us deliberate between brands of toothpaste, while others deliberate between damp dirt and bone dust to quiet the fire of an empty stomach lining? There is nothing about the United States I can really explain to this child of another world. Barbara Kingsolver dust children thinking You could love your crazy people, even admire them, instead of resenting that they're not self-sufficient. Barbara Kingsolver crazy self people Loose lips sink ships. Barbara Kingsolver ships lips But children robbed of love will dwell on magic. Barbara Kingsolver magic children War so conspicuously benefits rich men and kills the poor ones. Barbara Kingsolver benefits men war Anybody can get worked up, if they have the intention. It's peacefulness that is hard to come by on purpose. Barbara Kingsolver peacefulness intention purpose People ask without wanting to know. Barbara Kingsolver asks knows people Bitter words normally evaporate with the moisture of breath, after a quarrel. In order to become permanent, they require transcribers, reporters, complicit black hearts. Barbara Kingsolver black heart order Every life is different because you passed this way and touched history. Barbara Kingsolver different life way ...our best task is to move forward without insisting others slide backward. Barbara Kingsolver slides tasks moving It's a great freedom to give up on love, and get on with everything else. Barbara Kingsolver giving-up-on-love giving-up giving Culture is a slingshot moved by the force of its past Barbara Kingsolver slingshots culture past Some of us know how we came by our fortune and some of us don't; but we wear it all the same Barbara Kingsolver know-how fortune knows