“The mind is a miser," he said. "Nothing is ever thrown away, and it's amazing what you can find if you dig… — Barry Hughart Dig deep Copy Share Image
I have never been able to understand why perfectly sensible people waste time being wittily obscure instead of just saying what they… — Barry Hughart Able Copy Share Image
“Master Li turned bright red while he scorched the air with the Sixty Sequential Sacrileges with which he had won the all-China… — Barry Hughart Three years Copy Share Image
I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world. May your villages remain ignorant of tax collectors,… — Barry Hughart Age Copy Share Image
“Occasionally a moderately intelligent thought misses a turn and accidentally enters my mind” — Barry Hughart Humorous-quotations Copy Share Image
“Ox, at an early age a Chinese genius gazes at the path that lies ahead and reaches for a wine jar," Master… — Barry Hughart Copy Share Image
“everybody knows that the soul of a cat is formed from the composite souls of nine debauched nuns who failed in their… — Barry Hughart Copy Share Image
“Ox, what occupation is most closely linked to insanity?' 'Emperor,' I said promptly.” — Barry Hughart Copy Share Image
“Nothing on the face of this earth - and I do mean nothing - is half so dangerous as a children's story… — Barry Hughart Children Copy Share Image
Blessed are the idiots, for they are happiest people on earth. — Barry Hughart Blessed Copy Share Image
“The problem with 'the crown jewel of Chinese literature' [Dream of the Red Chamber] is that it has two thousand pages and… — Barry Hughart Books Copy Share Image
“...the problem with poetic justice is that it never knows when to stop.” — Barry Hughart Justice Copy Share Image
'Immortality is only for the gods,' he whispered. 'I wonder how they can stand it.' — Barry Hughart Death Copy Share Image
“Boy, just look at the soul shining through my eyes! It’s like a goddamned flower!” — Barry Hughart Copy Share Image
Error can point the way to truth, while empty-headedness can only lead to more empty-headedness or to a career in politics. — Barry Hughart Careers Copy Share Image
“Of course there is a slight chance that somebody might want to give the Celestial Bookmaker a heart attack.” — Barry Hughart Heart attack Copy Share Image
“Ginseng hunters refer to the plant as chang-diang shen, “the root of lightning,” because it is believed that it appears only on… — Barry Hughart Copy Share Image
The supernatural can be very annoying until one finds the key that transforms it into science," he observed mildly... "Come on, Ox,… — Barry Hughart Annoying Copy Share Image
“Key Rabbit, allow me to bore you with a comparison of your wife and a beautiful woman," I said. "In the morning… — Barry Hughart Beautiful woman Copy Share Image
“O great and mighty Master Li, pray impart to me the Secret of Wisdom!" he bawled. "Take a large bowl," I said.… — Barry Hughart Thousand years Copy Share Image
Fable has strong shoulders that carry far more truth than fact can. — Barry Hughart Fables Copy Share Image
“...the emotional health of a village depended upon having a man whom everyone hated.” — Barry Hughart Emotional health Copy Share Image
“Show me a quest for personal immortality and I'll show you a path through a slaughterhouse, and the incense of personal divinity… — Barry Hughart Adventure Copy Share Image
