Alfred Bester

The whole point of extravagance is to act like a fool and feel like a fool, but enjoy it.

— Alfred Bester

“No," Foyle roared. "Let them hear this. Let them hear everything." "You're insane, man. You've handed a loaded gun to children." "Stop…

— Alfred Bester

Most science fiction, quite frankly, is silly nonsense.

— Alfred Bester

This was a Golden Age, a time of high adventure, rich living and hard dying... but nobody thought so. This was a…

— Alfred Bester

“I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe ... a thinking animal ... and I'm trying to see my way…

— Alfred Bester

The test of intellect is the refusal to belabor the obvious.

— Alfred Bester

“Millions for defense, but not one cent for survival.”

— Alfred Bester

The appeal of science fiction has always been its iconoclasm . . . But in order to be an iconoclast, an author…

— Alfred Bester

“But in order to be an iconoclast, an author must be more than merely aware of the idol he wishes to destroy.…

— Alfred Bester

Faith in faith' he answered himself. 'It isn't necessary to have something to believe in. It's only necessary to believe that somewhere…

— Alfred Bester

We always do what's natural, only sometimes we shouldn't do it.

— Alfred Bester

I challenge you, me. Die or live and be great.

— Alfred Bester

Eight, sir; seven, sir; Six, sir; five, sir; Four, sir; Three, sir; Two, sir; one! Tenser, said the Tensor. Tenser, said the…

— Alfred Bester

“You're all freaks, sir. But you always have been freaks. Life is a freak. That's its hope and glory.”

— Alfred Bester

Intellect is the ability to avoid belaboring the obvious.

— Alfred Bester

The damnable frustration of revenge. Revenge is for dreams...never for reality.

— Alfred Bester

“The law makes the silliest damned fuss about death. People die by the thousands everyday; but simply because someone has had the…

— Alfred Bester

“Vorga, I kill you filthy.”

— Alfred Bester

“Now don't warp your orbit, Mac.”

— Alfred Bester

This was an age of extremes, a fascinating century of freaks... but nobody loved it.

— Alfred Bester

The man who gives his own decisions priority over society is a criminal.

— Alfred Bester

“You can’t go back and you can’t catch up. Happy endings are always bittersweet.”

— Alfred Bester

You pigs, you. You rut like pigs, is all. You got the most in you, and you use the least. You hear…

— Alfred Bester

If you can have everything at fifty that you wanted when you were fifteen, you're happy.

— Alfred Bester

Gully Foyle is my name And Terra is my nation Deep space is my dwelling place The stars my destination

— Alfred Bester