Sarah Tolmie > Quotes

“It is commonly said that despair drives people towards death. In fact, it renders death worthless. The despairing may stumble upon death, perhaps, but it is an event without meaning.”
― Sarah Tolmie, The Fourth Island

“This world — this planet — is very big. Space takes up time, and time, I suppose, takes up space. We did not think very much about planets at home. At least, I did not, nor anyone I knew. They know more here. I am not sure what good it does them. I doubt I would understand whatever explanations they might offer for what happens to us, and as explaining isn’t changing, it makes no difference. The”
― Sarah Tolmie, Two Travelers

“As awful as it had been, their exchange hung on in her mind as a model of what can happen, of what had almost never happened at any other point in her life: that two different people see each other and help each other, while carrying on being themselves. If”
― Sarah Tolmie, Two Travelers

“That was the way it was with languages, Eyvind had observed once he left home and realized how many there were: some he could see into and some he could not. Listening to them was like looking down into a stream. Sometimes the water was muddy and sometimes clear.”
― Sarah Tolmie, All the Horses of Iceland

“What does a ghost have to do with religion?” asked Eyvind. “Death is the other half of life. It happens to everyone. It makes no matter what gods they believe in.”
― Sarah Tolmie, All the Horses of Iceland

“While Eyvind never became a literate man, he saw as he went on that books contained words that could transform men into priests and kings and healers.”
― Sarah Tolmie, All the Horses of Iceland

“Euphemism is the cheapest metaphor
In the aisle of the dollar store
Along with the headless Barbies and obscure bits of bright plastic.”
― Sarah Tolmie, The Art of Dying (Volume 41)