Sign in with Facebook
76,902 books
—
286,057 voters
“Let us take a man - a very ordinary man. A man with no idea of murder in his heart. There is in him somewhere a strain of weakness - deep down. It has so far never been called into play... But let us suppose that something occurs... He may stumble by accident on a secret - a secret involving life or death to someone. And his first impulse will be to speak out - to do his duty as an honest citizen. And then the strain of weakness tells... That is the beginning... He is not the same man he was - say, a year ago. His moral fibre is blunted. He is desperate. He is fighting a losing battle, and he is prepared to take any means that come to his hand, for exposure means ruin to him. And so - the dagger strikes... Afterwards, the dagger removed, he will be himself again, normal, kindly. But if the need again arises, then once more he will strike.”
― The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
― The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
“But are you aware of the courage, the audacity which my profession requires? Very few people are gifted for it. I had the vocation. It showed very early in my capacity for deluding myself... What I corrupted was what is called the truth in favour of a marvellous world. I could always improve on the facts... The smoke issuing from Aladdin's lamp was my first smokescreen, and the lies learned from fairytales were my first perjuries. Let us say I had perverted tendencies: I believed everything I read. I never found a way to get what I wanted except by robbery.”
― A Spy in the House of Love
― A Spy in the House of Love
“Because I could not stop for death
he kindly stopped for me
I asked to see a photograph
confirming his identity
The faces matched - the eyes were warm -
the hair was long and grey -
both smiled but as I tried to move
death blocked my way.
No no, my sweetheart, what's the rush?
Come on, let's go to bed,
there's time for love, there's surely time
for happiness - death said.
His voice was soft, his skin was pale,
his fingers brushed my face -
Oh? time for love? I said - but where?
He said: I know a place.
He led me down a flowered track
and on a bank of earth
he loved me till my body screamed
from every living nerve.
I slept then for eternity
drugged as I was with love:
death bent down to my sleeping face
and on earth's pillow made a place
to leave his photograph.”
― Cyrano de Bergerac: in a free adaptation
he kindly stopped for me
I asked to see a photograph
confirming his identity
The faces matched - the eyes were warm -
the hair was long and grey -
both smiled but as I tried to move
death blocked my way.
No no, my sweetheart, what's the rush?
Come on, let's go to bed,
there's time for love, there's surely time
for happiness - death said.
His voice was soft, his skin was pale,
his fingers brushed my face -
Oh? time for love? I said - but where?
He said: I know a place.
He led me down a flowered track
and on a bank of earth
he loved me till my body screamed
from every living nerve.
I slept then for eternity
drugged as I was with love:
death bent down to my sleeping face
and on earth's pillow made a place
to leave his photograph.”
― Cyrano de Bergerac: in a free adaptation
“I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me.
I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.
We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.”
― The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Other Poems
I do not think that they will sing to me.
I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.
We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.”
― The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Other Poems
“Aggressive? Does she mean - tall? Because... I can't change that... No, the bottom drops out of my planet. The planet of me. The planet that has always tried to spin as closely to friendly planets and as far from aggro ones as possible. I've never been called aggressive out loud, but it's definitely something that's floated in the air... It's because the general cloud of my presence causes disruption that I want to orbit the chill planets, the ones with the spaceship landings, the ones little kids look up through their telescopes and think... wow... that looks like a friendly planet... I work unpaid overtime at not wanting people to think I mean them harm. So now the bottom falls out of everything I live on... She's surprised to see me vulnerable. It's not a possibility she's considered. That words based on assumptions might break me. That those simple words might unleash an ocean made up of the little sips of sadness that come from being repeatedly misinterpreted as a glance... All she sees is an aggressor. Someone she needs to protect herself from at all costs, protect an audience from... The others who might have to witness me.”
― Character Breakdown
― Character Breakdown
Ari’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Ari’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
1,287 books
|
7,806 friends
260 books
|
1 friend
1,072 books
|
450 friends
751 books
|
4 friends
692 books
|
635 friends
273 books
|
4 friends
453 books
|
169 friends
0 books
|
541 friends
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Ari
Lists liked by Ari
