Promised Land Quotes

“I try to be honorable. I know that's embarrassing to hear. It's embarrassing to say. But I believe most of the nonsense that Thoreau was preaching. And I have spent a long time working on getting myself to where I could do it. Where I could live life largely on my own terms.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“Zealots were always hard. Zeal distorts them. Makes the normal impulses convolute. Makes people fearless and greedless and loveless and finally monstrous.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“What I am is what I do. Finding the right words for it is no improvement. It isn’t important whether I’m scared or excited. It’s important whether or not I do it. It doesn’t matter to Shepard why. It matters to Shepard if.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“We don’t look around and see where we were. And we don’t look down the road and see what’s coming. We don’t have anything to do but deal with what we know. We look at the facts and we don’t speculate. We just keep looking right at this and we don’t say what if, or I wish or if only. We just take it as it comes.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“I was under the impression that you wanted to marry me and were angry that I had not yet asked.” “That was the impression I was under too,” Susan said. “Songs unheard are sweeter far,” I said.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“Couldn’t we talk over the transports of delight in which we soared last evening?” “Do you laugh at everything?”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“From a distance they promise everything, whatever you’re after. They look clean and permanent against the sky like that. Up close you notice dog litter around the foundations.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“I was thinking more about all the conflicts in your character. You reek of machismo, and yet you are a very caring person. You have all these muscles and yet you read all those books. You’re sarcastic and a wise guy and you make fun of everything; and yet you were really afraid I’d say no a little while ago and two people you don’t even like all that well would get into trouble. And now here you are cooking me my supper and you’re obviously nervous at being alone with me in your apartment.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“It was five o’clock and Susan agreed to join Pam for a drink while I made supper. I pounded some lamb steaks I’d bought for lamb cutlets. Dipped them in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. When they were what Julia Child calls nicely coated I put them aside and peeled four potatoes. I cut them into little egg-shaped oblongs, which took a while, and started them cooking in a little oil, rolling them around to get them brown all over. I also started the cutlets in another pan. When the potatoes were evenly browned I covered them, turned down the heat and left them to cook through. When the cutlets had browned, I poured off the fat, added some Chablis and some fresh mint, covered them and let them cook. Susan came out into the kitchen once to make two new drinks. I made a Greek salad with feta cheese and ripe olives and Susan set the table while I took the lamb cutlets out of the pan and cooked down the wine. I shut off the heat, put in a lump of unsalted butter, swirled it through the wine essence and poured it over the cutlets. With the meal we had warm Syrian bread and most of a half gallon of California Burgundy. Pam Shepard told me it was excellent and what a good cook I was.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“was giving her my most engaging smile. Boyish.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“machismo isn’t another word for rape and murder. Machismo is really about honorable behavior.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“before she disappeared.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land

“...What is it," Pam Shepard said, "about a cluster of skyscrapers in the distance that makes you feel...What?...Romantic? Melancholy? Excited? Excited probably."
"Promise," I said.
"Of what?"
"Of everything," I said. "From a distance they promise everything, whatever you're after. They look clean and permanent against the sky like that. Up close you notice dog litter around the foundations."
"Are you saying it's not real? The look of skyscapers from a distance."
"No. It's real enough, I think. But so is the dog litter and if you spend all your time looking at the spires you're going to step in it."
"Into each life some shit must fall?"
"Ah," I said, "you put it so much more gracefully than I.”
― Robert B. Parker, Promised Land