Every male in the world thinks he's an excellent driver. Every copper who's ever had to pick an eyeball out of a… — Ben Aaronovitch Copper Copy Share Image
“the rules of English grammar are largely an artificial construct with little or no bearing on the language as it is spoke.” — Ben Aaronovitch English grammar Copy Share Image
“Something round and dirty and white was resting near my foot. It was a skull. I picked it up. ‘Is that you,… — Ben Aaronovitch Humor Copy Share Image
“Can you sacrifice people?' I asked. 'Take their magic that way?' 'Yes,' he said. 'But there's a catch.' 'What's the catch?' 'You… — Ben Aaronovitch Consequences Copy Share Image
“I have an idea," I said. "This better not be a cunning plan," said Leslie. Nightingale looked blank, but at least it… — Ben Aaronovitch Humor Copy Share Image
“This book is dedicated to all the people who get up and do something about it, whatever “it” is and however small… — Ben Aaronovitch Book Copy Share Image
You know, your species [humans] has the most amazing capacity for self-deception, matched only by its ingenuity in trying to destroy itself. — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
“I don’t like my bacon sandwich to be curiously snuffling at my fingers. But sometimes being police means holding your breath and… — Ben Aaronovitch Bacon Copy Share Image
“I'd been too intent on the room to hear her coming up the stairs. Leslie said that the capacity not to notice… — Ben Aaronovitch Dance Copy Share Image
If you ask any police officer what the worst part of the job is, they will always say breaking bad news to… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
“As a typical Londoner, Gurcan had a high tolerance for random thoughtlessness; after all, if you live in the big city there's… — Ben Aaronovitch Big city Copy Share Image
“... I think it's designed to flower open like a Chocolate Orange." Me and Lesley then had to explain Terry's Chocolate Orange… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
Landscaping is the great cardinal sin of modern architecture. It's not your garden, it's not a park - it's a formless patch… — Ben Aaronovitch Architecture Copy Share Image
Not being invited in is one of the boxes on the “suspicious behavior” bingo form that every copper carries around in their… — Ben Aaronovitch Behavior Copy Share Image
You put a spell on the dog," I said as we left the house. "Just a small one," said Nightingale. "So magic… — Ben Aaronovitch Character Copy Share Image
The Metropolitan Police Service is still, despite what people think, a working-class organisation and as such rejects totally the notion of an… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
The first rule about a black woman’s hair is you don’t talk about a black woman’s hair. And the second rule is… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
It's a police mantra that all members of the public are guilty of something, but some members of the public are more… — Ben Aaronovitch Guilty Copy Share Image
“which artfully combines a complete lack of aesthetic quality with a total disregard for the utilitarian function for which it is built.” — Ben Aaronovitch Beauty Copy Share Image
“So that's when I came up with the most ridiculous plan since I'd decided to take a witness statement from a ghost.… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
He was calling it an atonic seizure because, even if he didn't know why it had happened, it was important to give… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
“..sudden attack of culture snobbery is a common affliction among policemen of a certain rank and age; it’s like a normal midlife… — Ben Aaronovitch Humor Copy Share Image
“My mum translated this in her head to "witchfinder," which was good because like most West Africans, she considered witchfinding a more… — Ben Aaronovitch Mothers Copy Share Image
Are they really gods?" "I never worry about theological questions," said Nightingale. "They exist, they have power and they can breach the… — Ben Aaronovitch Gods Copy Share Image
“Urban Outfitters, eh," said Beverley. "That explains the Dr Denim shirt." "My mum bought me that," I said. "And you think that's… — Ben Aaronovitch Humor Copy Share Image
“Or at least of fending him off for long enough that we can sweep in heroically like the Seventh Cavalry.’ Burning tipis… — Ben Aaronovitch Cavalry Copy Share Image
“A London copper doesn't like to intrude upon a traveller camp with anything less than a van full of bodies in riot… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
This I know for a fact: the reason African women have children is so that there's someone else to do the housework. — Ben Aaronovitch African women Copy Share Image
“It's a sad fact of modern life that sooner or later you will end up on YouTube doing something stupid. The trick,… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
“The mark was from the glue that once held a folder into which a library card would have fitted back in the… — Ben Aaronovitch Computers Copy Share Image
On the plus side, there were no rioters in sight but on the minus side this was probably because everywhere I looked… — Ben Aaronovitch Fire Copy Share Image
“When I’m considering this I find it helpful to quote the wisdom of my father, who once told me, “Who knows why… — Ben Aaronovitch Father Copy Share Image
...don't ask me why I know what an Edwardian smoking jacket looks like: let's just say it has something to do with… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
“I looked into the literature on this," said Nightingale, "and it wasn't very helpful." "There's a literature about this?" "You'd be amazed,… — Ben Aaronovitch Books Copy Share Image
“Who made the 999 call?" "Dunno," said Purdy. "Mobile, probably." It's officers like Purdy that give the Metropolitan Police its sterling reputation… — Ben Aaronovitch Customer service Copy Share Image
“He was one of those people who constantly seems to be having a conversation with someone other than the person he’s actually… — Ben Aaronovitch Communication Copy Share Image
“You shouldn’t make jokes about these things,” she said. “Science doesn’t have all the answers, you know.” “It’s got all the best… — Ben Aaronovitch Jokes Copy Share Image
“I showed her my warrant card, and she stared at it in confusion. You get that about half the time, mainly because… — Ben Aaronovitch Copy Share Image
“This is why magic is worse even than quantum physics. Because, while both spit in the eye of common sense, I've never… — Ben Aaronovitch Magic Copy Share Image
“Officially she was there to liaise with me on the case, but really she was there for the wide-screen TV, takeaways and… — Ben Aaronovitch Raison d'etre Copy Share Image
![“You know, your species [humans] has the most amazing capacity for self-deception, matched only by its ingenuity in trying to destroy itself.” quote by Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/ben-aaronovitch-3199_capacity_you-know-your-species-humans-has-the-mos_230104.jpg)
