A Better Man Quotes

“Is it true? Is it kind? Does it need to be said?”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Consequences,” said Gamache. “We must always consider the consequences of our actions. Or inaction. It won’t necessarily change what we do, but we need to be aware of the effect.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Chief Inspector Gamache’s says there are ‘four sentences that lead to wisdom: I don’t know. I need help. I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“I see." Gamache lowered his voice, though all could still hear the words. "When I was Chief Superintendent, I had a framed poster in my office. On it were the last words of a favorite poet, Seamus Heaney. Noli timere. It's Latin. Do you know what it means?"

He looked around the room.

"Neither did I," he admitted when no one spoke. "I had to look it up. It means 'Be Not Afraid.' His eyes returned to the unhappy young agent. "In this job you'll have to do things that scare you. You might be afraid, but you must be brave. When I ask you to do something, you must trust there's a good reason. And I need to trust that you will do it. D'accord?”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“April in Québec was a climatological shitstorm. A mindfuck of epic proportions.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“How often we made our worst fears come true, by behaving as though they already were.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“After all, it’s how the light gets in.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“All that most maddens and torments; all that stirs up the lees of things; all truth with malice in it.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“I’m saying people change.” She held up her hands to ward off Clara’s protests. “I know, it’s easy to say. And it doesn’t undo the damage. But we’ve seen changes of heart. Changes of perception. It happens. Racists, homophobes, misogynists, they can change. And some do.” “Truth and reconciliation,” said Clara. “Yes. The truth must come first. And then, maybe, reconciliation. Maybe.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Now, Ruth.” Gabri spoke with exaggerated patience. “We’ve been through this before. When we call for volunteers to sandbag, we don’t mean to hit each other over the head with sand-filled socks.” “Shit,” said Ruth. “No,” said Gabri. “Not shit either, as we learned last spring.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“She was beginning to see how quickly something completely normal could suddenly seem sinister, if you chose to see it that way.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Myrna understood how damaging it was to compare pain. To dismiss hurt just because it wasn’t the worst.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“It was, he knew, a sign of End of Days. Ruth refusing booze.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Everyone in the farmyard was staring at Gamache with open astonishment, including the donkeys. But human behavior often astonished them.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“the four statements that led to wisdom. Never repeating them. I was wrong. I’m sorry. I don’t know. I need help.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Alcohol stole dignity and friends and family and livelihoods before finally taking the life. Alcohol was a thief. And often a murderer.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“told them the four statements that led to wisdom. Never repeating them. I was wrong. I’m sorry. I don’t know. I need help.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“We’ every woman there. You asked if we have a weapon? We do. And you gave it to us, with every blow. Every bruise. Every broken bone. It’s the toy at the bottom of the cereal box.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Seemed courtesy beat good sense. Almost to death.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“An act that looked like mercy but was more about their own extreme discomfort than any comfort they could offer him.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“You might be afraid, but you must be brave.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Civility,” Armand had said. “How can we expect it if we don’t give it? Besides, when we do get angry, people pay more attention. Otherwise it’s just white noise.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Something from St. Francis. Something he said to a woman who’d lost her child in a river.” Homer closed his eyes. “Clare, Clare, do not despair. Between the bridge and the water, I was there.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Alcohol stole dignity and friends and family and livelihoods before finally taking the life.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Civility. How can we expect it if we don't give it?”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“He was damned if he was going to leave a mess for his replacement. Especially since he’d be spending holidays with that replacement for years to come.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Someone else was in charge, and he could just concentrate on the job at hand.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“I was wrong. I’m sorry. I don’t know. I need help.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“Canadian winter, early spring always got them. It was the damp. And the temperature swings. And the illusion and delusion that it must be milder out, surely, by now.”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man

“he understands,” said Gamache quietly, as though”
― Louise Penny, A Better Man