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They say in the military that a good battle plan can last as long as five minutes in real fighting. After that, it comes down to if the general is favored by fate and the spirits.

— Paolo Bacigalupi The Windup Girl (2009)

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More quotes by Paolo Bacigalupi

Nothing is certain—that is the first lesson.

The Windup Girl (2009)

Politics is ugly. Never doubt what small men will do for great power.

The Windup Girl (2009)

Every time he makes plans for his future, he seems to fail. Every time he reaches forward, the world leans against him, pressing him down.

The Windup Girl (2009)

She does not know how little anyone cares to separate wheat from chaff, when all anyone wants to do is burn a field.

The Windup Girl (2009)

Laws are a fine thing on paper, but painful when no bribery can ease their bind.

The Windup Girl (2009)

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Attribution

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