A good book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life, and as such it must surely be a necessary commodity.

— Penelope Fitzgerald

Behind their dark glass, the mad own nothing.

— Penelope Fitzgerald

But time given to wishing for what can't be is not only spent, but wasted, and for all that we waste we shall be accountable.

— Penelope Fitzgerald

On the whole, I think you should write biographies of those you admire and respect, and novels about human beings who you think are sadly mistaken.

— Penelope Fitzgerald

Opportunity, after all, is only another word for temptation.

— Penelope Fitzgerald

What’s to become of us? We can’t go on like this.”“Yes, we can go on like this,” said Cesare. “We can go on exactly like this for the rest of our lives.

— Penelope Fitzgerald