Norton Juster: There are no wrong roads to anywhere.

You may not see it now," said the Princess of Pure Reason, looking knowingly at Milo's puzzled face, "but whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way.

Norton Juster

princess purpose may

And now," he continued, speaking to Milo, "where were you on the night of July 27?" "What does that have to do with it?" asked Milo. "It's my birthday, that's what," said the policeman as he entered "Forgot my birthday" in his little book. "Boys always forget other people's birthdays.

Norton Juster

night boys book

Let me try once more," Milo said in an effort to explain. "In other words--" "You mean you have other words?" cried the bird happily. "Well, by all means, use them. You're certainly not doing very well with the ones you have now.

Norton Juster

effort bird mean

I don't know of any wrong road to Dictionopolis, so if this road goes to Dictionopolis at all it must be the right road, and if it doesn't it must be the right road to somewhere else, because there are no wrong roads to anywhere. Do you think it will rain?

Norton Juster

somewhere-else rain thinking

It has been a long trip," said Milo, climbing onto the couch where the princesses sat; "but we would have been here much sooner if I hadn't made so many mistakes. I'm afraid it's all my fault.

Norton Juster

princess mistake inspirational

Many of the things which can never be, often are.

Norton Juster

phantom-tollbooth

The way you see things depends a great deal on where you look at them from.

Norton Juster

phantom-tollbooth looks way

The only other thing which I think is important is: Don't write a book or start a book with the expectation of communicating a message in a very important way.

Norton Juster

writing book thinking

Infinity is a dreadfully poor place. They can never manage to make ends meet.

Norton Juster

phantom-tollbooth poor infinity

When he was in school he longed to be out, and when he was out he longed to be in. On the way he thought about coming home, and coming home he thought about going. Wherever he was he wished he were somewhere else, and when he got there he wondered why he'd even bothered.

Norton Juster

somewhere-else home school

Sometimes I find the best way of getting from one place to another is simply to erase everything and begin again.

Norton Juster

begin-again sometimes way

And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer.

Norton Juster

phantom-tollbooth something-new world

Where is the sound?" someone hastily scribbled on the blackboard, and they all waited anxiously for the reply. Milo caught his breath, picked up the chalk, and explained simply, "It's on the tip of my tongue.

Norton Juster

tongue caught sound

Ah, this is fine," he cried triumphantly, holding up a small medallion on a chain. He dusted it off, and engraved on one side were the words "WHY NOT?" "That's a good reason for almost anything - a bit used perhaps, but still quite serviceable.

Norton Juster

why-not reason sides

...it's very much like your trying to reach infinity. You know that it's there, you just don't know where-but just because you can never reach it doesn't mean that it's not worth looking for.

Norton Juster

infinity trying mean

Whether or not you find your own way, you're bound to find some way. If you happen to find my way, please return it, as it was lost years ago. I imagine by now it's quite rusty.

Norton Juster

return way years

Perhaps you'd care for a synonym bun," suggested the duke.

Norton Juster

buns dukes care

It was really written as most, I think, books are by writers - for themselves. There was something that just had to be written, in a way that it had to be written. If you know what I mean.

Norton Juster

think know you way