“It was as if nothing wrong could happen in a world where things balanced so stilly.” — Betty Smith Balanced Copy Share Image
“If I can fix every detail of this time in my mind, I can keep this moment always.” — Betty Smith Future Copy Share Image
“If she had not found this outlet in writing, she might have grown up to be a tremendous liar.” — Betty Smith Liar Copy Share Image
“She read the words over aloud. They sounded like words that came in a can; the freshness was cooked out of them.” — Betty Smith Cooked Copy Share Image
“All of us are what we have to be and everyone lives the kind of life it's in him to live.” — Betty Smith Life Copy Share Image
“Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or the last time.” — Betty Smith Last time Copy Share Image
Oh, I wish I was young again when everything seemed so wonderful! — Betty Smith Wish Copy Share Image
“She had born a child but two hours ago. She was so weak that she couldn't lift her head an inch from… — Betty Smith Children Copy Share Image
“Now my wandering days are over. It will be bliss to settle down. Bliss. There's a word, now. Bliss to love and… — Betty Smith Bliss Copy Share Image
“Oh, I want to hold it all!" she cried. "I want to hold the way the night is—cold without wind. And the… — Betty Smith Hold Copy Share Image
“Was that a bad lady, Papa?" she asked eagerly. No." But she looked bad." There are very few bad people. There are… — Betty Smith Bad people Copy Share Image
I need someone. I need to hold somebody close. And I need more than this holding. I need someone to understand how… — Betty Smith Feels Copy Share Image
“They came together, they loved and they married. In innocence, and never dreaming how courageous they were, they started a new life… — Betty Smith Life Copy Share Image
It doesn't take long to write things of which you know nothing. When you write of actual things, it takes longer, because… — Betty Smith Firsts Copy Share Image
“Sometimes when you had nothing at all and it was raining and you were alone in the flat, it was wonderful to… — Betty Smith Copy Share Image
Francie looked at her legs. They were long, slender, and exquisitely molded. She wore the sheerest of flawless silk stockings, and expensively… — Betty Smith Beautiful Copy Share Image
“She adapted herself to the split-second rhythm of the New Yorker going to and from work. Getting to the office was a… — Betty Smith Bad mood Copy Share Image
Those were the Rommely women: Mary, the mother, Evy, Sissy, and Katie, her daughters, and Francie, who would grow up to be… — Betty Smith Creatures Copy Share Image
“That is what is called learning the truth. It is a good thing to learn the truth one's self. To first believe… — Betty Smith Good thing Copy Share Image
Someday you'll remember what I said and you'll thank me for it." Francie wished adults would stop telling her that. Already the… — Betty Smith Adults Copy Share Image
People always think that happiness is a faraway thing, something complicated and hard to get. Yet, what little things can make it… — Betty Smith Being happy Copy Share Image
The library was a little old shaby place. Francie thought it was beautiful. The feeling she had about it was as good… — Betty Smith Beautiful Copy Share Image
“I don’t know,” Miss Lizzie said. “Sometimes I think it’s better to suffer bitter unhappiness and to fight and to scream out,… — Betty Smith Copy Share Image
“From that time on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of… — Betty Smith Books Copy Share Image
“The one tree in Francie’s yard was neither a pine nor a hemlock. It had pointed leaves which grew along green switches… — Betty Smith Poor people Copy Share Image
“If He’s so great, why didn’t He help Papa instead of punishing him like you said?” “I just said maybe.” “If God… — Betty Smith Too busy Copy Share Image
“No, I ain't big enough. I ain't big enough to do a thing like that. I gotta think of myself and my… — Betty Smith God bless Copy Share Image
“Francie is smart, she thought. She must go to high school and maybe beyond that. She's a learner and she'll be somebody… — Betty Smith Better way Copy Share Image
“The spare Tynmore spinsters lay in their hard virginal bed. They groped for each other’s hands. “Did you hear it, Sister?” asked… — Betty Smith Lizzie Said Copy Share Image
“May I have this damaged bunch for two cents? Speak strongly and it shall be yours for two cents. That is a… — Betty Smith Long island Copy Share Image
“If she never had any lovers, she kicks herself around when the change comes, thinking of all the fun she could have… — Betty Smith Change Copy Share Image
