“For Celia, her whole surround was animate, and each tapioca lump had a dense, nauseating little soul.” — Lionel Shriver Heart Copy Share Image
“...I long ago gave up defending humanity. It's beyond me on most days to defend myself.” — Lionel Shriver Defend Copy Share Image
Few Amazon punters will explore a book with the depth of an 800-word review. — Lionel Shriver Amazon Copy Share Image
Writers who take on polarising issues are apt to step on a few toes. — Lionel Shriver Issues Copy Share Image
I was born after the heavy spade work of female emancipation was done. — Lionel Shriver Born Copy Share Image
“You were patient, but I worried that your very patience tempted Kevin to try it.” — Lionel Shriver Patience Copy Share Image
Oddly, for a book to do well merely because people like it is surprisingly rare. — Lionel Shriver Book Copy Share Image
However unattractive, pre-nups are at least a way round a law that dictates simply because you love someone and share their bed,… — Lionel Shriver Claim Copy Share Image
“He's one of those attorneys who think of the law as a game, not a morality play. I'm told that'd the kind… — Lionel Shriver Attorneys Copy Share Image
“They were determined to find something mechanically wrong with him - because broken machines are easier to fix. p303” — Lionel Shriver Acceptance Copy Share Image
I didn't care about anything. And there's a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.… — Lionel Shriver Apathy Copy Share Image
“I suppose that's a common conceit, that you've already been so damaged that damage itself in its totality makes you safe.” — Lionel Shriver Damage Copy Share Image
Letting ourselves down in some fashion is such an integral part of daily life that the paucity of literature on the subject… — Lionel Shriver Books Copy Share Image
“A well-constructed lie is assembled largely from the alphabet blocks of fact, which will as easily make a pyramid as a platform.” — Lionel Shriver Truth Copy Share Image
“Frankly, the reason why lawyers were compensated so lavishly was that they were paid to attend to the most stultifying aspects of… — Lionel Shriver Lawyer Copy Share Image
Conservative supporters might either have the courage of their convictions or, if truly ashamed, revise them, but they should at least refute… — Lionel Shriver Conservative Copy Share Image
“The feeling was not of being attractive precisely, but rather of not having to entertain. It was breathtaking: to be ensconced in… — Lionel Shriver Business Copy Share Image
During the protracted tooth-and-nail tussle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries, I was one of those fierce… — Lionel Shriver Barack obama Copy Share Image
It's always the mother's fault, ain't it?" she said softly, collecting her coat. "That boy turn out bad cause his mama a… — Lionel Shriver After school Copy Share Image
“At only ten a.m., Edgar found himself already eyeing the Doritos on the counter. One thing he hadn't anticipated about the 'home… — Lionel Shriver Home office Copy Share Image
“Maybe it was different for you and Valerie, since you didn't like each other much. But many, perhaps most siblings share a… — Lionel Shriver Abuse of power Copy Share Image
“Over the years I observed Kevin watching decapitations, disembowelments, dismemberments, flayings, impalements, deoculations, and crucifixions, and I never saw him flinch. Because… — Lionel Shriver Flinch Copy Share Image
In grad school, I took a workshop with Scott Spencer, whose excellent novel 'Endless Love' had just been turned into a film.… — Lionel Shriver Cinema Copy Share Image
“One of us could always get pancreatic cancer,” you said pleasantly.” — Lionel Shriver Cancer Copy Share Image
Life is never easy so that is why I never lie about my age. I want credit for every damned year. — Lionel Shriver Age Copy Share Image
In Shaker Heights, Ohio, one of America's first planned communities, order and harmony are prized. — Lionel Shriver America Copy Share Image
I am vain, or once was, and one of my vanities was to feign that I was not. — Lionel Shriver Feign Copy Share Image
Got nothing to do with trying. You like someone, or you don't. If you're 'trying', you don't. — Lionel Shriver Ifs Copy Share Image
Funny how the nature of a normal day is the first memory to fade. — Lionel Shriver Fade Copy Share Image
“He was already intuiting that attachment - if only to a squirt gun - made him vulnerable.” — Lionel Shriver Attachment Copy Share Image
“And there's a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.” — Lionel Shriver Apathy Copy Share Image
...hoarders of guilty secrets are inevitably consumed with appearances. — Lionel Shriver Appearance Copy Share Image
“as soon as I seized upon the otherworldly, it joined this world and didn’t count.” — Lionel Shriver Otherworldly Copy Share Image
I have buckets of sympathy for the obese, often subject to cruelty, ridicule, denunciation, and contempt. — Lionel Shriver Contempt Copy Share Image
That boy hardly needed a mask when his naked face was already impenetrable. — Lionel Shriver Boys Copy Share Image
I have no end of failings as a mother, but I have always followed the rules. — Lionel Shriver Ends Copy Share Image
For that matter, thinking of one's self as exceptional is probably more the rule than not. — Lionel Shriver Exceptional Copy Share Image
“Likewise, the simple adjacency of warm bodies supplies the deepest of animal comfort.” — Lionel Shriver Warm Copy Share Image
