Harry Turtledove Quotes

Maybe not thinking about the price of failure was what marked a hero. On the other hand, maybe it just marked a damn fool.

Like a lot of jailers, he was convinced the police who hunted down criminals couldn’t find a skunk if it was spraying their leg.

But, as often happened, the official and the real had only a nodding acquaintance with each other.

Manicheism, n., The ancient Persian doctrine of an incessant warfare between Good and Evil. When Good gave up the fight the Persians joined the victorious Opposition.

He lies. How can you trust a man who lies? You cannot. And any man who comes on the wireless and says, ‘I am going to tell you the truth’—well, what else can he be except a liar?

Sir, don't you think Utah is a special case?" "Every case has partisans who insist it is special," Hoover answered. "I recognize none of them. I believe none of them. The same principles must apply throughout the United States.

Early summer in Nashville made a good practice ground for hell.

Some people, though—some people think yelling something loud enough makes it so.

Beauty didn’t last. Brains did.

The only happy people she saw coming out of the place were a young couple, the man carrying a crying baby. Maternity wards are different, Nellie thought as she went past them. I bet they’re the only place in a hospital where people win instead of losing.

That wasn’t even close to fair, and Sylvia knew it. But she’s already seen that political campaigns weren’t designed to be fair. They were designed to convince, by whatever means possible.

Your trouble, Major, is that you think people spell prosecute and convict the same way," Moss said. "That's not how it works. Even in military court, the defendant's entitled to a fair shake.

Of all the sins in this world, which is more unforgivable than the sin of not having enough money? None I can think of.

A war is a disaster whether you win or you lose—it’s only a worse disaster if you lose.

That's logical. That's a rational," Hosea Blackford said. "Politics, unfortunately, is neither.