Lawrence Block > Quotes

“Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for. ”
― Lawrence Block

“If you cannot stand a spoon upright in the cup, then the coffee is too weak.”
― Lawrence Block

“Man, I so sick of dinosaurs. They wasn't extinct, I'd go out an' kill 'em myself.”
― Lawrence Block

“If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass.”
― Lawrence Block, Writing the Novel: From Plot to Print

“I haven't got anything against cats. I haven't got anything against elk either, but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep one in the store so I'll have a place to hang my hat.”
― Lawrence Block, The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams

“I don't know about the rest of the country but in New York more people have learned anonymity from rent control than ever discovered it in a twelve-step program.”
― Lawrence Block

“You show up at these meetings to stay sober and you walk out with a fucking education.”
― Lawrence Block, A Drop of the Hard Stuff

“People don't get to change things. Things change people once in a while, but people don't change things.”
― Lawrence Block, In the Midst of Death

“It's enough of a strain killing people. I've no time for deer.
--Mick Ballou”
― Lawrence Block, Everybody Dies

“I dialed it now, and the machine picked up. I listened to a dead man's voice. I hung up, wondering how long it would be before someone unplugged the machine, how long before the telephone company cut off the phone service.

You don't die all at once. Not anymore. These days you die a little at a time.”
― Lawrence Block, A Drop of the Hard Stuff

“He's got a new BMW now, thanks to the Galaxy. He can't spell it, but he can drive it like crazy.”
― Lawrence Block, The Burglar Who Dropped in on Elvis

“Fuck you! I hope you die!"
"Everybody Dies," I said. "So fuck you.”
― Lawrence Block, Everybody Dies

“What time is it?"
"Time?"
"Time."
"Oh," She said. "A quarter to four. Mr. Markham, something terrible has happened."
She didn't have to tell me that. Something perfectly dreadful had happened, by God. Someone had called me in the middle of the bloody night.”
― Lawrence Block, You Could Call It Murder

“My glass was empty. I poured more scotch into it, took a small sip, and all at once the silly thing was empty again.
Strange.
Then it was full again.
And then it was empty again.
Strange, I thought. Fool glass must have a hole in it. Scotch disappears the instant it's poured.
Strange.
Then I was stretched out on the bed, too tired and too drunk to bother removing my shoes. My eyes closed themselves and the world crept away on little cat feet, leaving me floating in the middle of the air.”
― Lawrence Block, You Could Call It Murder