All Quiet on the Western Front

by Erich Maria Remarque

It is very queer that the unhappiness of the world is so often brought on by small men.

The wisest were just the poor and simple people. They knew the war to be a misfortune, whereas those who were better off, and should have been able to see more clearly what the consequences would be, were beside themselves with joy.

In himself man is essentially a beast, only he butters it over like a slice of bread with a little decorum.

We don’t act like that because we are in a good humour: we are in a good humour because otherwise we should go to pieces.