The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer Quotes

“I believe in God but people are liars. It's those people who say they are appointed by God who I don't believe in.”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“We all play chess with Fate as partner. He makes a move, we make a move. He tries to checkmate us in three moves, we try to prevent it. We know we can't win, but we're driven to give him a good fight.”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“One thing I found out then was that pity is a form of love and, actually, its highest expression.
A Tale of Two Sisters”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“Dictatorships, wars, and cruelty drive whole countries to madness. My theory is that the human species was crazy from the very first and that civilization and culture are only enhancing man’s insanity.
A Tale of Two Sisters”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“Along with the atom, the personality of the Homo Sapiens has been splitting...”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“If one knew the truth how could there be freedom? If hell and paradise were in the middle of the marketplace, everyone would be a saint.”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“You wrote somewhere that one sins in another world, and that this world is hell. For you, that may have been just a phrase, but it’s the truth.
Brother Beetle”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

“At its best, art can be nothing more than a means of forgetting the human disaster for a while.’

I am still working hard to make this ‘while’ worthwhile.

— I.B.S., ‘Author's Note,’ July 6, 1981.”
― Isaac Bashevis Singer, The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer