Life and death live and die in exactly the same spot, the body. It is from there that both babies and cancers are born.
YANN MARTELAtheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they speak speaks of faith. Like me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry them — and then they leap.
More Yann Martel Quotes
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Once you’ve been struck by violence, you acquire companions that never leave you entirely: Suspicion, Fear, Anxiety, Despair, Joylessness. The natural smile is taken from you and the natural pleasures you once enjoyed lose their appeal.
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The presence of God is the finest of rewards.
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Repetition is important in the training not only of animals but also of humans.
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It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I’ve made none the champion.
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When you’ve suffered a great deal in life, each additional pain is both unbearable and trifling.
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First wonder goes deepest; wonder after that fits in the impression made by the first.
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I have a story that will make you believe in God.
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Life will defend itself no matter how small it is.
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The reason death sticks so closely to life isn’t biological necessity – it’s envy.
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My suffering left me sad and gloomy.
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The language of prose is very different than the language of cinema, so the movie has to successfully translate what was in the book.
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The blackness would stir and eventually go away, and God would remain, a shining point of light in my heart. I would go on loving.
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I ask you, is it the fig tree’s fault that it’s not the season for figs? What kind of thing is that to do to an innocent tree, wither it instantly?
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It’s amazing how willpower can build walls.
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I wept heartily over this poor little deceased soul. It was the first sentient being I had ever killed. I was now a killer. I was now as guilty as Cain. I was sixteen years old, a harmless boy, bookish and religious, and now I had blood on my hands. It’s a terrible burden to carry. All sentient life is sacred.
YANN MARTEL