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Gene Wolfe

Gene Wolfe Quotes

Writer

Gene Wolfe is a renowned American science fiction and fantasy writer, born on May 7, 1931. His works are known for their unique narrative style and profound philosophical insights, with notable series such as 'The Book of the New Sun' and 'The Urth of the New Sun'. Wolfe's writing career spans over half a century, and his influence on science fiction and fantasy literature has been profound.

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All Thinking Men Writing Believe Knows People Stories Death Children Ifs Way Matter Mind Said Science Fiction Accepting Authority Book Of The New Sun Certain Childhood

Famous Gene Wolfe Quotes

“I believe there is no other difference between those who are called courageous and those who are branded craven than that the second are fearful before the danger and the first after it. No one can be much frightened, certainly, during a period of great and immanent peril -- the mind is too much concentrated on the thing itself, and on the actions necessary to meet or avoid it. The coward is a coward, then, because he has brought his fear with him; persons we think cowardly will sometimes amaze us by their bravery, if they have had no forewarning of their danger.”

Ifs Thinking Mind Firsts Believe Persons Sometimes Action I Believe Differences Too Much Danger Periods Bravery Courageous Coward Frightened Fearful Cowardice Peril Cowardly Branded

Author:Gene Wolfe

“All of us... when we think we are talking most intimately to someone else, are actually addressing an image we have of the person to whom we believe we speak.”

Thinking Believe Persons Speak Talking

Book:Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of 'The Book of the New Sun'

Source: Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of 'The Book of the New Sun'

“Before you ask more questions, think about whether you really want to know the answers.”

Thinking Knows Want Asks Answers

Book:Shadow & Claw: The First Half of 'The Book of the New Sun'

Source: Shadow & Claw: The First Half of 'The Book of the New Sun'

“You seem to think that the only genuine existence evil can have is conscious existence - that no one is evil unless he admits it to himself. I disagree.”

Thinking Seems Evil Existence Conscious Genuine Disagree

Author:Gene Wolfe

“Then I could not help wondering what the watching gods thought of us, with our clever masks and our jokes. What we think of crickets, perhaps, whose singing we hear with pleasure, though some of us smash them with our heels when they venture into sight.”

Thinking Helping Pleasure Wonder Singing Jokes Sight Clever Mask Heels Venture Cricket

Book:Soldier of Arete

Source: Soldier of Arete

“We think that we know a man or a woman, when so much of what we know is actually that man's or that woman's situation, his or her place on the board of life. Move the pawn to the last row and see her rise in armor, sword in hand.”

Thinking Knows Men Hands Lasts Moving Situation Boards Armor Pawns

Book:Home Fires

Source: Home Fires

“You do not characterize by telling the reader about the character. You do it by showing the character thinking, speaking and acting in a characteristic way. You simply show it and shut up.”

Thinking Way Writing Character Shows Acting Reader Characteristics Shut Up

Author:Gene Wolfe

“My whole life experience feeds into my writing. I think that must be true for every writer. Clearly the Army and combat were major influences; just the same, you need to understand that many of the writers we have now couldn't load a revolver.”

Thinking Needs Writing Whole Influence Majors Experience Army Whole Life Being True Combat Life Experience Load Revolver

Author:Gene Wolfe

“I don't think anyone is more intrinsically holy. People experience God in many ways; and it seems to me that God does what the rest of us do: He chooses the means that best gets His message across.”

People Thinking Way Mean Doe Seems Holy Messages Experience

Author:Gene Wolfe

“We only have one dog now. Calamity Jane had to be put down. She was very old, and her medicine no longer controlled her seizures. Dilly is five now, I think. He's a neutered American Pit Bull Terrier, very gentle, about the color of buckskin.”

Thinking Five Dog Color Medicine Gentle Controlled Jane Bulls Pits Calamity Seizures Terriers Pit Bull

Author:Gene Wolfe

About the Author

Born: May 7, 1931
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 86

Related Topics

Thinking Men Writing Believe Knows People Stories Death Children Ifs Way Matter Mind Said Science Fiction Accepting Authority Book Of The New Sun Certain Childhood

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Shadow & Claw: The First Half of 'The Book of the New Sun'Related source material

Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of 'The Book of the New Sun'Related source material

PeaceRelated source material

The Best of Gene Wolfe: A Definitive Retrospective of His Finest Short FictionRelated source material

The Urth of the New SunRelated source material

Shadow & ClawRelated source material

Soldier of AreteRelated source material

The Citadel of the Autarch: Urth: Book of the New SunRelated source material

The Shadow of the TorturerRelated source material

The Urth of the New Sun: The sequel to 'The Book of the New Sun'Related source material

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