Some Favorite Quotes

I'm not finished with the book, but I already have some favorite quotes from Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago.
"Everyman is born a Faust with a longing to embrace an experience and express everything in the world...Forward steps in art are made by attraction, through the artist's admiration and desire to follow the example of the predecessors he admires most." AMEN! I so agree with this statement, at least, as pertaining to myself. I know that this is behind my burning desire do devour great works of literature: because some day I wish to write a great novel that will qualify as a "classic work".
I also think this statement is somewhat hilarious. "At the beginning, all women are mothers of great men -- it isn't their fault if life disappoints them later." HAHA! Yes, those mothers that really give motherhood their all can feel that they have prepared their offspring to be great. If the offspring chooses differently, well, c'est la vie!
"...Talking about the ordinary run of politicians -- people who aren't interested in life as a whole, in the world as a whole, the sort of people with restricted minds who like restriction for its own sake. --They're as pleased as Punch to get everybody thinking and talking about a nicely restricted group --the more restricted the better --a people, especially if there can be plenty of judging and weighing and settling and deciding, and getting pity to pay dividends." Sadly, I think this statement also remains to be true. There seems to be a sincere lack of concern about what is best for everyone in the view that we have to make it the best for this group or that for this reason and that. Responsibility for the people and by the people isn't exactly what this nation has cracked up to be in recent years (and, I'm not just talking about the current presidency...it goes a LOOOONG way back).
There's more, but you'll just have to find your own copy of this great novel. It's got my vote for writing style and interest. Sure, I'm a little lost when it comes to political and historical issues as I am not a Russian history buff, but it makes me want to go and actually learn more about it!!