Wilful Behaviour Quotes

“But I think our age has so transformed art into a form of investment or speculation that many people can no longer see the beauty of an object or care much about it if they do: they see only the value, the convertibility of the object into a particular sum of money.”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behavior

“I don’t think he had any friends,’ Brunetti said, admitting to what he had always thought of as the great tragedy of his father’s life. ‘Most men don’t, do they?’ she asked, but there was only sadness in her tone. ‘What do you mean? Of course we have friends.’ In the face of her visible sympathy, Brunetti could not keep the indignation from his voice. ‘I think most men don’t, Guido, but you know that’s what I think because I’ve said it so many times. You have what the Americans call “pals”, men you can talk to about sports or politics or cars.’ She considered what she had said. ‘Well, since you live in Venice and work for the police, I guess you can substitute guns and boats for cars. Things, always things. But in the end it’s the same: you never talk about what you feel or fear, not the way women do.”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behavior

“I’ve always been afraid of people in possession of what they believe is the truth. They’ll do anything to see that the facts are changed and whipped into shape to agree with it.”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behavior

“In the end, no matter how beautiful or precious, what object had any value in comparison to life?”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behaviour

“Like our no doubt ridiculous idea that beauty conforms to some standard or ideal; like our risible belief that we have the option to behave honourably and should take it; and like our idiotic idea that the final purpose of human existence is something more than the acquisition of wealth.”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behavior

“In the end, there are some people it makes sense to trust.’ ‘Why?’ He had no idea where this line of questioning had come from nor where it might lead them, but he sensed the seriousness with which she was pursuing it. ‘Because there are some people, still, who can be trusted absolutely. We have to believe that’s so.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because if we don’t find at least someone we can trust absolutely, then, well, we’re made less by not having them. And by not having the experience of trusting them.’ He wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by this, or perhaps he was just doing a bad job of explaining what it was he did mean, but he knew he felt that he would be a lesser man if there were no one into whose hands he would put himself.”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behavior

“Aren’t you ashamed that you pay all of your attention to acquiring as much money as you can, without giving any thought to truth and understanding and the perfection of your soul?”
― Donna Leon, Wilful Behavior