SOLVED. book with this exact quote: "Lots of rules are pointless,' he said, 'you don't have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about what is right."

[Lisa]

I hope this is okay. I do not have plot details because what I have for sure is this quote:

"Lots of rules are pointless,' he said, 'you don't have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about what is right."

This might have been said by an "Uncle Bill" or it might have been said by another character.

I think that the book was published within the last decade but might be historical fiction. It's for children, probably 8-12. I was thinking it is from A Place to Hang the Moon but now I'm thinking that it's not.

If anybody can figure out what book this quote is from I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

[Rainbowheart]

There Was Still Love has that quote, but it's not middle grade fiction.

'Lots of rules are pointless,' he said. 'You don't have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about what is right.'

[Lisa]

Rainbowheart wrote: "There Was Still Love has that quote, but it's not middle grade fiction.

'Lots of rules are pointless,' he said. 'You don't have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about wh..."

Thank you. Maybe a lot of books have that quote and it won't be easy to find mine. This was a book I read and I haven't read that book you linked. I'm 99% sure it was children's middle grade fiction and 90% sure it was historical fiction. Thanks for posting though, Rainbowheart!

[Shanna]

Long shot- I don't know if this quote is in Riding Freedom but it sounds like it could be.

[Lisa]

Shanna wrote: "Long shot- I don't know if this quote is in Riding Freedom but it sounds like it could be."

Shanna, Nope that’s not it. I haven’t read that book either. Thank you though because it looks good and I might add it.

Not knowing the book with this quote is driving me crazy. I’ve read so many children’s novels that it could be from so many.

[Michelle]

It could be Goodnight Mister Tom

[Jen Ev Eve]

There is an Uncle Bill character in There Was Still Love (Rainbowheart's suggestion), and it is a historical fiction told from the perspective of two children.

Around what year (or range of years) did you read your book?
Can you remember anything about the cover?

[Lisa]

Michelle and Jen,

No it isn't either of those.

I read the book well into adulthood and I'm pretty sure it was a new book, probably read not too many years ago, and definitely since I joined Goodreads in 2007. I think it was a new-newish book.

I'm 99% sure it was a children's book for ages maybe 9-12. A 1% chance it was for older kids. It was not a book written for adults.

I can't remember title or author and I have read many children's novels in recent years. I defintiely have no memory of a cover.

I *think* it was historical fiction but I am not certain about that, but I'm fairly sure.

I appreciate all of your suggestions.

I guess I should look at all the children's books I've read, going backwards in time and continue to try to figure it out.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lisa, if all you remember is the quote, you should put it in your topic header - since the group is so huge, many members just scan the headers quickly to see which ones they can solve.

[Lisa]

Thanks, Lobstergirl but I'm not sure it would help as someone already found another book with that quote. There isn't enough room to also put books it is not. I'll think about it though.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

It will definitely help, because it will narrow down what possible books it could be.

[Lisa]

Lobstergirl wrote: "It will definitely help, because it will narrow down what possible books it could be."

Okay. I'll add it. Thank you for your help.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

You're welcome.

[Robert]

"..‘Lots of rules are pointless,’ he said. ‘You don’t have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about what is right.’ I nodded...." is definitely from There Was Still Love

[Lisa]

Robert wrote: ""..‘Lots of rules are pointless,’ he said. ‘You don’t have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about what is right.’ I nodded...." is definitely from There Was Still Love"

Thanks, Robert. Yes, Rainbowheart already found this quote in that book but I haven't read this book and it's not the book where I read the quote. As I said above there might be multiple books with this quote and it might make it even harder to find my book.

[Rainbowheart]

Is this a famous quote? I'm not finding hits on it anywhere else.

[Lisa]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Is this a famous quote? I'm not finding hits on it anywhere else."

As far as I know it is not a famous quote. I didn't even know it was in any other book. It's just something one character says to another character/characters in the book I'm trying to remember.

[Rainbowheart]

It's strange because it's unusually phrased. Most people would say "make up your own mind" instead of the way this character says it. It seems unlikely that quote would be phrased the exact same way elsewhere.

It sounds like you're positive it wasn't There Was Still Love? That book is fairly new, came out in 2019, and there's at least one other cover.

[PaulGamerBoy360]

Robert wrote: ""..‘Lots of rules are pointless,’ he said. ‘You don’t have to follow everything. Make your own mind up about what is right.’ I nodded...." is definitely from There Was Still Love"

There Was Still Love Is THE ONLY BOOK WITH THAT QUOTE

[Lisa]

Except it isn't the only book with that quote. I'm positive it's not the book. This was a children's novel, probably historical fiction. Nobody has marked the quote as liked from that book so it's not showing up but it's in the book. Thanks for all the help.

[PaulGamerBoy360]

Well The Caracter Uncle Bill says it in the book i mentioned and you said it was an uncle bill who said it.

[Lisa]

SuperTuxKart360(Brigham) wrote: "Well The Caracter Uncle Bill says it in the book i mentioned and you said it was an uncle bill who said it."

I know. Thanks. Well, as I said I know I read the book and I haven't read this book. It's possible what I "know" is wrong but I am not willing to mark this as solved, at least not yet.

Thank you, everybody.

[Lisa]

You know, I'm more interested in the quote than the book so I think I will mark this as solved. Thank you, everyone.

[Lisa]

I'm trying to mark this thread as SOLVED and am trying to put it in the solved adult folder but I keep getting to this page:


Page Not Found

The page you requested doesn't exist. Please check the url again, or visit the home page.

« go to the goodreads homepage

[Jen Ev Eve]

The header might be too long if you're trying to add SOLVED. Take out a few characters or words when you try again

[Lisa]

Thank you. Will try.

[Lisa]

That worked. Thanks to everyone.