Writers who take on polarising issues are apt to step on a few toes. — Lionel Shriver Issues Copy Share Image
“You were patient, but I worried that your very patience tempted Kevin to try it.” — Lionel Shriver Patience Copy Share Image
Oddly, for a book to do well merely because people like it is surprisingly rare. — Lionel Shriver Book Copy Share Image
“One of us could always get pancreatic cancer,” you said pleasantly.” — Lionel Shriver Cancer Copy Share Image
Life is never easy so that is why I never lie about my age. I want credit for every damned year. — Lionel Shriver Age Copy Share Image
In Shaker Heights, Ohio, one of America's first planned communities, order and harmony are prized. — Lionel Shriver America Copy Share Image
I am vain, or once was, and one of my vanities was to feign that I was not. — Lionel Shriver Feign Copy Share Image
Got nothing to do with trying. You like someone, or you don't. If you're 'trying', you don't. — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“I was reminded of the time I got a free upgrade to first class, where I sat right next to Sean Connery.… — Lionel Shriver First class Copy Share Image
Weight having become politicised, anyone with a profile in the media who either subscribes to or departs from the template of tininess… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“No such thing as larger-than-life, Kellogg. There's only life-size, and any magnification is just other people's bullshit.” — Lionel Shriver Life size Copy Share Image
As a teenager, I ached to grow up even more than I dreaded to. I craved escape from my parents' impositions on… — Lionel Shriver Childhood Copy Share Image
In economics, 'competitiveness' does not describe Barack Obama's insistence on not only being president of the U.S. but also beating his staff… — Lionel Shriver Being Copy Share Image
“But the one thing he could not have imagined is that we were withholding nothing. That there was nothing on the other… — Lionel Shriver Nothing Copy Share Image
“Desire was its own reward, and a rarer luxury than you'd think. You could sometimes buy what you wanted; you could never… — Lionel Shriver Desire Copy Share Image
“I felt expendable, throw-away, swallowed by a big biological project that I didn't initiate or choose, that produced me but would also… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“Speak of the devil. Luella had wandered in wearing what might once have been a stylish frock, but the hem was shredded… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
A successful lie cannot be brought into this world and capriciously abandoned; like any committed relationship, it must be maintained, and with… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“It was peculiar how the more you got to know someone, the more you grew to appreciate how little you knew, how… — Lionel Shriver Romance Copy Share Image
“We agreed that whether we became parents would be 'the single most important decision we would ever make together.' Yet the very… — Lionel Shriver Important decision Copy Share Image
“She loved him, but that wasn't good enough. The word "love" was required to cover such a range of emotions that it… — Lionel Shriver Good enough Copy Share Image
Edith Wharton was a natural story-teller. As plots do in real life, hers flow directly from character. Her prose is so effortlessly… — Lionel Shriver Character Copy Share Image
“His face churned. That was the point, before he said a word, that he broke her heart. The contortion of those muscles… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
History is made of empires, and the United States was by far and away the greatest, richest, and fairest empire that had… — Lionel Shriver Earth Copy Share Image
“Outside, she thought that there ought to be a word for it: the air temperature that was perfectly neither hot nor cold.… — Lionel Shriver Happiness Copy Share Image
“The idea is that you don't only have one destiny. Younger and younger, kids are pressed to decide what they want to… — Lionel Shriver Advantages and disadvantages Copy Share Image
“It was really rather wretched that you couldn’t will yourself to fall in love, for the very effort can keep falling at… — Lionel Shriver Fall in love Copy Share Image
Holocausts do not amaze me. Rapes and child slavery do not amaze me. And Franklin, I know you feel otherwise, but Kevin… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“I had some idea of what I was supposed to say back: Now, I know you don’t mean that, when I knew… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“Cynics are spoiled romantics. They are always the ones who had the highest expectations at the start. They were once so naïve… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
But keeping secrets is a discipline. I never use to think of myself as a good liar, but after having had some… — Lionel Shriver Copy Share Image
“I'm unsure why one trifling incident this afternoon has moved me to write to you. But since we've been separated, I may… — Lionel Shriver Coming home Copy Share Image
