Susan Rieger > Quotes

“It’s the angle. You can’t see me from where you’re standing.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“There can be no defense like elaborate courtesy.' Edward Verrall Lucas.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“We make enemies, sometimes through no fault of our own, and sometimes our enemies become badges of honor.”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“Our marriage ended because I couldn’t make him see me or hear me or do anything I wanted or needed. I could only be as selfish and mean as he was to get his attention. And that was ruinous.”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“Finding no quotation on point, she improvised: "I've always found that elaborate courtesy makes most people behave.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“Mothers are often a mystery to their children,” Eleanor said.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“You don't think well of any of us, do you?" Harry said.
"I'd die for you, for any one of you. Isn't that enough?”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“I know I’m a difficult parent, bruised and bruising.”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“epistolary”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“Lila’s style of mothering when the girls were young was nonchalant and intermittent, nothing like her spiky and seductive Globe personality.”
― Susan Rieger, Like Mother, Like Mother

“I don’t have a sense of justice, only injustice.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“The next day, Mrs. Lehman left a message with Jim’s answering service: “ ‘There can be no defense like elaborate courtesy.’ Edward Verrall Lucas.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“harridan,”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“What is it Woody Allen said? I am at two with Nature.”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“res ipsa loquitur,”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“the 5 basic food groups: fat, salt, sugar, alcohol, tobacco):”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“An early and avid subscriber to Parenting magazine, she was a votary of the psychologist J. B. Watson and kept his book Psychological Care of Infant and Child by her bedside.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“vituperative”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“Love at first sight is chump’s love, not worthy of the name. So many things can make your heart beat faster. Almost anything at fourteen.” When Anne insisted it was love, her mother said, “Oh, my dear, I must feel sorry for you, then. ‘When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.’ Oscar Wilde.” Anne didn’t think her mother was wrong. She had no sense of triumph, only one of ill-fated inevitability. Jewish tribalism and Christian anti-Semitism had made the match.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“functions of a caretaking parent, such as bathing and putting her to bed at night, making doctors’ appointments for her and taking her there, arranging playdates and parties for her, attending school conferences, coaching her at sports, providing her with religious education, making her meals, buying her clothes, and the like.”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“More says to him, ‘I can understand a man giving up his soul for the world, Richard, but for Wales?”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“termagant,”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“I don't want anyone else but sometimes, surprisingly, there's someone, not the prettiest or the most available, but you know that in another life it would be her. Or him, don't you find? A small quickening. The room responds slightly to being entered. Like a raised blind. Nothing intended, and a long way from doing anything, but you catch the glint of being someone else's possibility, and it's a sort of politeness to show you haven't missed it, so you push it a little, well within safety, but there's that sense of a promise almost being made in the touching and kissing without which no one can seem to say good morning in this poney business and one more push would do it.

-The Real Thing (London 1982), p.73

Today, I bought a copy of the play at the co-op, I thought I should send it to you- out of a sort of politeness.”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers

“Being poor in my day was still thought to be a personal failing, as being rich was regarded as a personal virtue,” Rupert said. “Americans still feel that way. The English seem to have moderated their views. The landed rich are deserving; the rest just got in at the right time.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“Rupert walked toward the chapel, Lear’s curse ringing in his ears: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“It’s really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs.’ ” He gave a small smile. “Holden Caulfield.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“He says the sun came out last night. He says it sang to him,’ ” Sam said.”
― Susan Rieger, The Heirs

“virago,”
― Susan Rieger, The Divorce Papers