Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of a witness. Margaret Millar More Quotes by Margaret Millar More Quotes From Margaret Millar The world of maps is nice and flat and simple. It has areas for people and areas for monsters. What a shock it is to discover the world is round and the areas merge and nothing separates the monsters and ourselves; that we are all whirling around in space together and there isn't even a graceful way of falling off. Margaret Millar nice simple fall The smell of moist earth and lilacs hung in the air like wisps of the past and hints of the future. Margaret Millar air spring past Some people become so expert at reading between the lines they don't read the lines. Margaret Millar reading acceptance people Sanity is a matter of culture and convention. If it's a crazy culture you live in, then you have to be irrational to want to conform. A completely rational person would recognize that the culture was crazy and refuse to conform. But by not conforming, he is the one who would be judged crazy by that particular society. Margaret Millar crazy would-be culture Violence is the instinctive response to fear. Margaret Millar response violence When you're counting alibis and not apples, one plus one equals none. Margaret Millar counting apples excuse Any good marriage involves a certain amount of play-acting. Margaret Millar good-marriage acting play You can't drown your troubles ... because troubles can swim. Margaret Millar trouble swim I wish people would quit telling me to think. I think. Thinking's easy. It's not thinking that's hard. Margaret Millar wish people thinking There is no such thing as an ex-exhibitionist. Margaret Millar exhibitionist exes Shrews are made, not born. Margaret Millar shrews born made People, alas, are more impressed by statistics than they are by ideas. Margaret Millar data people ideas That's what a conscience is made of, scar tissue ... Little strips and pieces of remorse sewn together year by year until they formed a distinctive pattern, a design for living. Margaret Millar design together years Civilization has imposed countless restrictions and conventions on each of us, with the result that the subconscious in the majority of us has become a storage room without a key. We are forced to suppress or forget so many events and ideas and thoughts that those to which we should have access are lost in the welter. However, there are people who seem capable of unlocking this part of their minds and extracting relevant information. Margaret Millar keys should-have civilization The sun was shining like a congratulation. Margaret Millar congratulations shining sun To the uneducated eye, as to the incurious mind, much of the world is in darkness, and a thousand songs are lost on the unlistening ear. Margaret Millar eye darkness song I didn't mind giving up carnality, jewelry and red meat in return for comradeship and an afterlife. Margaret Millar afterlife giving-up mind When someone gives me three reasons instead of one, I'm inclined not to believe any of them. Margaret Millar three giving believe Common sense is a vastly overrated virtue. I myself prefer the spark of genius. Margaret Millar sparks common-sense genius If you go around looking for accidents, asking for them, they can't be called accidents any more. Margaret Millar accidents ifs asking