“She counted on herself to withstand everything. And yet, who said she had to? What would happen if she broke down now and then?” StrengthBeing StrongCarrying OnWithstanding Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“Veblen, you may not know it now, but marriage affects everything that happens to you. Your mate becomes the mirror in which you see yourself. If he doesn't see you as a beautiful pearl, you'll wither.” LoveRelationshipsMarriageRespect Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“Do you think wishful thinking is a psychiatric condition?” OptimismMental IllnessWishful Thinking Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“Don't worry about it." "When you're me, there's always something to worry about. Everything goes wrong for me, and you know it.” LifeChallengesDifficultiesWorryingWorries Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“She had a lot of practice standing things because she had to stand them, which was a hard habit to break.” PatienceEnduranceEnduringStanding It Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“It's so weird how people like hamsters so much better than squirrels," Veblen added, knowing that hamsters were hindgut fermenters and coprophagists, whereas squirrels were nothing of the sort.” SquirrelsHamstersRodents Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“When you entered the cavern of another language, you could leave certain people behind, for they had no interest in following you in. You could, by way of translation, emerge from the cavern and share your adventures with them. You didn’t have to be an intellectual in a black beret smoking clove cigarettes to be a translator, not at all. You could become one in your blue flannel pajamas, your face smeared with Clearsil. You did.” TranslationTranslators Book:The Portable Veblen Source: The Portable Veblen
“How could she know? We discover things about our spouses no one else ever will. Marriage is one long striptease of the soul.” MarriageOthersKnowing SomeoneLearning About Ourselves Book:The Dog of the North Source: The Dog of the North