01UndatedWhen she turned I could see her face was plain and outwardly unremarkable, yet possessing of a bearing that showed inner strength and resolve. I stared at her intently with a mixture of feelings. I had realised not long ago that I was no beauty, and even at the age of nine had seen how the more attractive children gained favour more easily. But here in that young woman I could see how those principles could be inverted. I felt myself stand more upright and clench my jaw in subconscious mimicry of her poseJasper Fforde / quote ↗
02UndatedAfter all, reading is arguably a far more creative and imaginative process than writing; when the reader creates emotion in their head, or the colors of the sky during the setting sun, or the smell of a warm summer's breeze on their face, they should reserve as much praise for themselves as they do for the writer - perhaps more.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
03UndatedWithout unscrambled eggs, there was no time travel, no more depredation of the Now, and we could look to a brighter future of long-term thought--and more reading.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
04UndatedHistory has rewritten itself so many times I'm not really sure how it was to begin with -- it's a bit like trying to guess the original color of a wall when it's been repainted eight times.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
05UndatedNow and again. Good residency is about having the power to ask someone to do something, but not necessarily exercising it.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
06UndatedLiterature is claimed to be a mirror of the world,” I said, “but the Outlanders are fooling themselves. The BookWorld is as orderly as people in the RealWorld *hope* their own world to be—it isn’t a mirror, it’s an aspiration.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
07UndatedSo you're going to have to ask yourselves on simple question: Which one of us is speaking now?Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
08UndatedI'm sure it's not all hot buttered crumpets out there in the breathing world of asphalt and heartbeats.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
10UndatedFiction wouldn't be much fun without its fair share of scoundrels, and they have to live somewhere.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
11UndatedHumans like stories. Humans need stories. Stories are good. Stories work. Story clarifies and captures the essence of the human spirit. Story, in all its forms—of life, of love, of knowledge—has traced the upward surge of mankind. And story, you mark my words, will be with the last human to draw breath.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
12UndatedChromatacia…society…ruled by a colortocracy…social hierarchy based upon one's limited color perception, society is dominated by color. In this world, you are what you can see.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
13UndatedThose that can be troubled to muse upon the meaning of life are general disappointed when they figure it out.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
14UndatedThat's the thing about destiny: It can't be predicted, and it's usually pretty odd.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
15UndatedAnd we kissed again. It was a warm, indescribably lovely feeling. But it was more than just physical. It was a dialogue between two young people with high ideals and a Big Plan. It was about belonging, secrets, partnership, commitment.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
16UndatedBefore, I suspected I might not amount to anything, and now I now I won't, so at least it takes away the wearisome burden of delusive hopeJasper Fforde / quote ↗
17UndatedSoothsayers are like that. They see many futures but never their own.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
18UndatedThere are two schools of thought about the resilience of time. The first is that time is highly volatile, with every small event altering the possible outcome of the earth's future. The other view is that time is rigid, and no matter how hard you try, it will always spring back toward a determined present. Myself, I do not worry about such trivialities. I simply sell ties to anyone who wants to buy one...Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
19UndatedThe sky was like ebony and the only illumination was the harsh white light of the central streetlamp, which cast shadows so hard it seemed you might cut yourself on them.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
21UndatedShe had large, questioning eyes that seemed to draw me in and a sense of quiet outrage that simmered just beneath the surface. More than anything, within her features, there was a streak of wild quirkiness that made her dazzlingly attractive.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
22UndatedFor myself, I favored the abstract. I collected not just obsolete terms and words, but ideas.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗
24UndatedRouge of my heart, intertwined with double-hued destiny,Thread of my thoughts, constant and rubicund legacy,Filament of my future, endeared unto my expectation,Cord of my emotion, seared with eternal elation.Jasper Fforde / quote ↗