--- title: "1 Wind Sails Quotes By James A. Michener" description: "1 Wind Sails quotes by James A. Michener. Plus more from James A. Michener and more Wind Sails sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/james-a-michener-1627_quote_a-ship-like-a-human-being-moves-best-whe_640303.jpg" --- > [“A ship, like a human being, moves best when it is slightly athwart the wind, when it has to keep its sails tight and attend its course. Ships, like men, do poorly when the wind is directly behind, pushing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/a-ship-like-a-human-being-moves-best-when-it-is-slightly-athwart-the/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/james-a-michener-1627_quote_a-ship-like-a-human-being-moves-best-whe_640303.jpg) ## More by James A. Michener > [ “\[Very rich people\] with brains make a great effort to hold on to every penny they have while preaching to the general population that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/very-rich-people-with-brains-make-a-great-effort-to-hold-on-to-every/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [A writer can make a fortune in America, but he can't make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/a-writer-can-make-a-fortune-in-america-but-he-can-t-make-a-living/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [As a writer I have persisted in my uncertainty, alternating between novels which could charitably be considered literature and world reporting which by another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/as-a-writer-i-have-persisted-in-my-uncertainty-alternating-between/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [ . . . Luddites were those frenzied traditionalists of the early 19th century who toured \[England\] wrecking new weaving machines on the theory that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/luddites-were-those-frenzied-traditionalists-of-the-early-19th/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [I am terrified of restrictive religious doctrine, having learned from history that when men who adhere to any form of it are in control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-am-terrified-of-restrictive-religious-doctrine-having-learned-from/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“This is not a promise, this is not threat, it's just the way it's gonna be!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/this-is-not-a-promise-this-is-not-threat-it-s-just-the-way-it-s-gonna/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“We went into the night and for the first time in my life I saw the stars hanging low over the desert, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/we-went-into-the-night-and-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-saw-the/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [The rules seem to be these: If you have written a successful novel, everyone invites you to write short stories. If you have written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/the-rules-seem-to-be-these-if-you-have-written-a-successful-novel/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“A Roman came to Rabbi Gimzo the Water Carrier, and asked, "What is this study of the law that you Jews engage in?" and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/a-roman-came-to-rabbi-gimzo-the-water-carrier-and-asked-what-is-this/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/if-you-reject-the-food-ignore-the-customs-fear-the-religion-and-avoid/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [I think the crucial thing in the writing career is to find what you want to do and how you fit in. What somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-think-the-crucial-thing-in-the-writing-career-is-to-find-what-you/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [“The chance emergence of the was nothing. Remember this. But its persistence and patient accumulation of stature were everything. Only by relentless effort did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/the-chance-emergence-of-the-was-nothing-remember-this-but-its/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [During my lifetime I have met dozens of writers and photographers in dozens of different countries. But I have encountered no one who could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/during-my-lifetime-i-have-met-dozens-of-writers-and-photographers-in/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [My work as a naval officer in World War II enabled me to serve on 49 different South Pacific islands so that I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/my-work-as-a-naval-officer-in-world-war-ii-enabled-me-to-serve-on-49/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [The sense of belonging is one of the great gifts men get in battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/the-sense-of-belonging-is-one-of-the-great-gifts-men-get-in-battle/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind-sails/james-a-michener/#itemlist", "name": "1 Wind Sails Quotes By James A. Michener", "numberOfItems": 1, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A ship, like a human being, moves best when it is slightly athwart the wind, when it has to keep its sails tight and attend its course. Ships, like men, do poorly when the wind is directly behind, pushing them sloppily on their way so that no care is required in steering or in the management of sails; the wind seems favorable, for it blows in the direction one is heading, but actually it is destructive because it induces a relaxation in tension and skill. 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