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He wanted to assure her that his life was solitary and ascetic, as it was, almost past bearing, relieved by the library, occasional drunkenness, and lately by lunch with the Baptists. But he knew how this would sound, either pathetic or, better, like lying.

— Marilynne Robinson Jack (2020)

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More quotes by Marilynne Robinson

A man can know his father, or his son, and there might still be nothing between them but loyalty and love and mutual incomprehension.

Gilead (2004)

Any human face is a claim on you, because you can't help but understand the singularity of it, the courage and loneliness of it.

Gilead (2004)

I love loneliness. I consider my history with loneliness to be among my great blessings…I hasten to add that it is definitely not for everyone. It should be approached with caution.

It is worth living long enough to outlast whatever sense of grievance you may acquire. Another reason why you must be careful of your health.

Gilead (2004)

I was trying to remember what birds did before there were telephone wires. It would have been much harder for them to roost in the sunlight, which is a thing they clearly enjoy doing.

Gilead (2004)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Marilynne Robinson (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.