Top Ten Tuesday: My top 10 memorable book quotes

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books. I don’t necessarily have quotes that inspire me, but I do have a bunch that make me happy, for a variety of reasons, whenever I think about them. For some, I like the mood they create or what they say about the characters involved, but in other cases, it’s merely a matter of liking the words used and the way a phrase sounds.

1. “Speaking of ways, pet, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.”  – from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

2. “It’s like being in love, discovering your best friend.” – from Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

3. “They meant no harm.” – from The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

4. “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

5. “Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you.” – from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

6. “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” – from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

7. “When the day shall come that we do part,” he said softly, and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not ‘I love you’ – ye’ll ken it was because I didna have time.” – from The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (you didn’t really think I’d get through a whole TTT post without an Outlander reference, did you?)

9. “If you wish to make a wish, you may swish for fish with my Ish wish dish.” – from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss (I just love to say this one)

10. “Go then, there are other worlds than these.” – from The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Oh, what the heck, one more for good luck:

“The way I saw it, one of the single greatest advantages of being in a relationship was that you got to eat off the other person’s plate.” – from Tempest’s Fury by Nicole Peeler.

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What quotes made your list this week?

Share your links, and I’ll come check out your top 10!

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36 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: My top 10 memorable book quotes

    • Welllll, I always seem to squeeze in a little Outlander love! I’m a wee bit obsessed at the moment. 🙂 I just re-read Jane Eyre last year for the first time in a very long time, and loved it!

    • Thank you! Dr. Seuss is so hardwired into my brain at this point, after countless readings with my kids, and odd lines seem to pop out at the weirdest moments.

  1. I love that the first one is A Wrinkle in Time. I am currently reading it with my students and we just finished the first chapter. All of them wanted to know what a tesseract was and I wouldn’t tell them. 🙂
    Thanks for sharing!
    Amanda

    • I love A Wrinkle in Time! What grade do you teach? That’s so awesome that you’re reading it with your students. I think I’m due for a re-read!

    • Oh, I adore the last line as well, but this one has always stuck in my mind (and is one of those random sorts of lines that I find myself spouting once in a while). 🙂

  2. I love the Harry Potter quote! I’m seeing so many of them today. I have a few on my own list myself.
    I haven’t read Outlander yet but I love that quote. Probably cause I her people speak like that regularly.
    Lauren @http://myexpandingbookshelf.blogspot.com/2015/04/teaser-and-top-ten-tuesday-14-april.html

    • Can’t wait to see which HP quotes you used! It was really hard to settle on just one for my list — there are so many that I love. And I definitely recommend checking out Outlander if you get a chance. 🙂

  3. Tale of Two Cities AND Jane Eyre–yes! I have to say, though, I especially love that quote from Harry Potter, because it’s one that I’ve grown into. When I first read it (at 11 or 12), I had no idea what it meant; I thought it was complete nonsense. Over the years, though, I’ve found myself coming back to it again and again; it so aptly summarizes something I now fully believe.

    • I’m glad you love that Harry Potter line too! There are many from HP that have really stuck with me, and even though some people may still think of the series as children’s books, I always find so much in them that’s really true and meaningful. Thanks for commenting!

  4. I love that Jane Eyre one. And of course Harry Potter had to be quoted! I desperately need to read Outlander (or Cross Stitch as we call it here). It’s sitting in my pile, so I don’t know why I haven’t read it yet…
    Thanks for visiting Addlepates and Book Nerds!

    • I re-read Jane Eyre last year (after many, many, many years!) and loved it — and I”m long overdue for a re-read of A Wrinkle in Time as well. Thanks for stopping by!

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