This is what self-centered religion does to us: it allows us to use it to further our own ends. John Irving More Quotes by John Irving More Quotes From John Irving No touching Baby Jesus.” “But we’re his parents!” proclaimed Mary Beth, who was being generous to include poor Joseph under this appellation. “Mary Beth,” Barb Wiggin said, “if you touch the Baby Jesus, I’m putting you in a cow costume. John Irving parentbabyjesus If pride is a sin ... moral pride is the greatest sin. John Irving moralsinpride No adult in my family would ever tell me anything about who my father was. I knew from an older cousin - only four years older than I am - everything, or what little I could discover about him. John Irving cousinfatheryears Nearly everything seems a letdown after a writer has finished writing something. John Irving letdownsscarywriting My brain is sending poison to my heart. John Irving poisonbrainheart She was an expert at the art of sudden appearance. John Irving appearanceexpertsart It's not right to hurt or deceive someone who's already been hurt and deceived. John Irving deceiveddeceivinghurt People regard art too highly, and history not enough John Irving enoughpeopleart Death, it seems," Garp wrote, "does not like to wait until we are prepared for it. Death is indulgent and enjoys, when it can, a flair for the dramatic. John Irving dramaticwaitingdoe Gender mattered a whole lot less to Shakespeare than it seems to matter to us. John Irving genderwholematter I suppose I'm proudest of my novels for what's imagined in them. I think the world of my imagination is a richer and more interesting place than my personal biography. John Irving imaginationinterestingthinking No one but me ever put a hand on me to feel that baby. No one wanted to put his ear against it and listen...You shouldn't have a baby if there's no one who wants to feel it kick or listen to it move. John Irving babyhandsmoving The main character and the most important character are not always the same person - you have to know the difference. John Irving differencesimportantcharacter Be serious. Life hurts. Reflect what hurts. I don't mean that you can't also be funny, or have fun, but at the end of the day, stories are about what you lose. John Irving hurtfunmean A sentence boiled in her, but she could not yet see it clearly. John Irving sentenceslife What has been violated here is your freedom of choice, and every woman's freedom of choice, too. John Irving freedom-of-choiceabortionchoices Self-hatred is worse than loneliness. John Irving lonelinesshatredself It's my experience that very few writers, young or old, are really seeking advice when they give out their work to be read. They want support; they want someone to say, "Good job." John Irving writingjobsgiving Rituals are comforting; rituals combat loneliness. John Irving combatlonelinesscomforting Dan suggested to Owen and me that we were better off to not involve ourselves with Hester. How true! But how we wanted to be involved in the thrilling real-life sleaziness that we suspected Hester was in the thick-of. We were in a phase, through television and the movies, of living only vicariously. Even faintly sordid silliness excited us if it put us in contact with love. John Irving phasesrealtelevision
