Betty Smith Quotes

She had had the pain; it had been like being boiled alive in scalding oil and not being able to die to get free of it

She liked numbers and sums. She devised a game in which each number was a family member and the answer made a family grouping with a story to it. Naught was a babe in arms. He gave no trouble. Wheneve...

She loved the library and was anxious to worship the lady in charge. But the librarian had other things on her mind. She hated children anyhow.

There were times though, especially towards the end of a long cold dark winter, when, no matter how hungry Francie was, nothing tasted good. That was big pickle time.

Willie tried to enlist in the army and was turned down; whereupon he threw his job, came home, announced that he was a failure, and went to bed. (...) He said he was going to stay in bed and never get...

But this tree in the yard-this tree that men chopped down...this tree that they built a bonfire around, trying to burn up it's stump-this tree lived!It lived! And nothing could destroy it.

Dear God, she prayed, let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged...

Eyes changed after they looked at new things.

Flossie was always running after men and they were always running away from her. Francie's Aunt Sissy ran after men, too. But somehow they ran to meet her halfway.

Forgiveness is a gift of high value. Yet its cost is nothing.

Francie said nothing more. Katie knew that she was letting them down. But she couldn't help it, she just couldn't help it. Yes, she should go with them to lend the comfort and authority of her presenc...

Francie thought that all the books in the world were in that library and she had a plan about reading all the books in the world.

Francie went over to stand at the great window from which she could see the East River twenty stories below. It was the last time she'd see the river from that window. The last time of anything has th...

I don't know. I don't know anything, really. I just feel. And when the feeling is strong enough, then I just say I know. But I don't...

I drink because I don't stand a chance and I know it. I couldn't drive a truck and I couldn't get on the cops with my build. I got to sling beer and sing when I just want to sing. I drink because I go...

I hate all those flirty-birty games that women make up. Life's too short. If you ever find a man you love, don't waste time hanging your head and simpering. Go right up to him and say, 'I love you. Ho...

I know that's what people say-- you'll get over it. I'd say it, too. But I know it's not true. Oh, youll be happy again, never fear. But you won't forget. Every time you fall in love it will be becaus...

I think it's good that people like us can waste something once in a while and get the feeling of how it would be to have lots of money and not have to worry about scrounging.

If you love someone, you'd rather suffer the pain alone to spare them.

In the future, when something comes up, you tell exactly how it happened but write down for yourself the way you think it happened. Tell the truth and write the story.