We must know the measure of a man's desires before we can sound the depth of his regrets.

Disillusions all come from within ... from the failure of some dear and secret hope. The world makes no promises; we only dream it does; and when we wake, we cry!

Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.

Those who have made unhappy marriages walk on stilts, while the happy ones are on a level with the crowd. No one sees 'em!

A statesman's words, like butcher's meat, should be well weighed.

Women may be whole oceans deeper than we are, but they are also a whole paradise better. She may have got us out of Eden, but as a compensation she makes the earth very pleasant.

A quart of doubt to an ounce of truth is the safest brew.

People get to like a soul, but a satisfactory hat makes an impression at first sight.

All forced virtue is degrading in it effect.

love comes to man through his senses - to woman through her imagination.

If the gods have no sense of humor they must weep a great deal.

I suddenly asked my master Caeiro, “Are you at peace with yourself?” and he answered, “No, I’m at peace.” It was like the voice of the earth, which is everything and no one.

I’m working on another Lyra book right now – it’s called The Book of Dust.“It’s going very well and it will be finished when I write the words ‘The End’.

Any astronaut can tell you you've got to do everything you can to learn about your life support system and then do everything you can to take care of it.

How absurd that our students tuck their cell phones, BlackBerrys, iPads, and iPods into their backpacks when they enter a classroom and pull out a tattered textbook.

I'm trying to learn more and more about what's possible.

He runs to the sink to spit it out. I grin. There’s nothing quite as funny as someone else’s misery.

The great advantage of a new friend is that we have not yet found one another out.

Remember that no matter where I am or what I'm doing I've got a special place inside me that's all for you. It's been there since the day we met.

For a man who no longer has a homeland, writing becomes a place to live.

Take everything as it comes; the wave passes, deal with the next one.