Kate Thompson > Quotes

“It was essential that someone, somewhere, even if it was only the fairy folk, should know that the human race had produced more than wars, catastrophes, and ultimately its own slow and painful self-destruction. It had produced things of exquisite and lasting beauty as well.”
― Kate Thompson, The White Horse Trick

“There were always too many hours in the day and never enough in the night.”
― Kate Thompson, Annan Water

“There was no moon, no stars, but even the darkest of nights steals light from somewhere.”
― Kate Thompson, Annan Water

“The realization had brought with it a sudden stark insight into another kind of glamour. It was quite a long time ago now, but he saw it quite clearly: how the media and the advertisers had created their own kind of glamour to seduce whole populations into a kind of insanity. Food that was bad for people, drink that turned them into mindless thugs, countless tons of useless rubbish, all dressed up by advertising glamour to appear like things people couldn't live without. And the human race had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker, becoming....[c]onsumers of limitless glamour, all of it ultimately worthless.”
― Kate Thompson, The White Horse Trick

“There is only one way to deal with a goat.”
― Kate Thompson, The Last of the High Kings

“And he has tried to swim that stream,
And he swam on both strong and steady,
But the river was wide and strength did fail,
And never more he'll see his Annie.

And woe betide the willow wan,
And woe betide the bush and briar,
For they broke beneath her true love's hand,
When strength did fail and limbs did tire.”
― Kate Thompson, Annan Water

“You die twice. Once when your heart stops beating and again when your name is spoken for the last time.”
― Kate Thompson

“A library is the only place you can go--from cradle to grave--that is free, safe, democratic and no one will try to flog you anything. You don't have to part with a penny to travel the world. It's the heartbeat of a community, offering precious resources to people in need. It's a place just to be, to dream, and to escape -- with books." And what's more precious than that? So here's to all library workers. We need you.”
― Kate Thompson

“There is a stereotype - an unfair one - that librarians are cardigan wearing introverts.”
― Kate Thompson

“There was never any peace. There were never any quiet, family moments. They were always working. All of them, all the time. For some reason Michael saw an image of the sitting room at the house in Yorkshire. The TV was on, but there was no one watching it. The terrier was polishing off a plate of dinner that had been abandoned on the arm of the couch. That was the way their lives were. They hadn't sat down to a meal once since they arrived in Scotland. They were a dealer's yard, not a family.”
― Kate Thompson, Annan Water

“In a way, I suppose a horse is pretty much like a man. They neither of them can shut down their feelings as quick as they'd like to.”
― Kate Thompson, Highway Robbery

“He praised the mare and tugged at her ear. He flattered the cob as well, liking him suddenly; sorry for him because his plain looks concealed such a generous heart.”
― Kate Thompson, Annan Water

“Oh Marigold, one day I would tell you about the man who flew twenty ton bombers, but who only knew true happiness in the garden.”
― Kate Thompson