He had left off being a perfectionist then, when he discovered that not promptly kept appointments, not a house circumspectly clean, not membership in Onwentsia, or the Lake Forest Golf and Country Club, or the Lawyers’ Club, not power, or knowledge, or goodness – not anything – cleared you through the terrifying office of chance; that it is chance and not perfection that rules the world.

— Judith Guest

Judith Guest Quotes

Writers don’t write to inform other people, they write to find out something themselves.

— Judith Guest

The ‘creator’ and the ‘editor’ – two halves of the writer whole – should sleep in separate rooms.

— Judith Guest

Some people have an unrealistic expectation when it comes to getting published; the fact is most publishers will turn down your work which is why you need to be persistent.

— Judith Guest

It’s always obvious to me when someone is looking at me with an idea of who I am and hoping that that’s the person I’m going to be. No matter how subtle it is, it’s there, and you want to give them who they really want. But it ain’t me.

— Judith Guest

My success is not who I am.

— Judith Guest

It’s true that every day away from work requires two more days to get back into it.

— Judith Guest

I’ve never been one to tear the social fabric.

— Judith Guest

Make peace with what is.

— Judith Guest

Jesus but people got weird when they lived alone.

— Judith Guest

He hangs on now, pressing his hand lightly against the wall, below the window, waiting for the familiar arrow of pain. Only there is none. An oddly pleasant swell of memory, a wave of warmth flooding over him, sliding back, slowly. It is a first.

— Judith Guest

Because it has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.

— Judith Guest

And once I wanted to be a fireman. Then.

— Judith Guest

Happy!” She looks at him. “Oh, Ward! You give us all the definition, will you? But first you’d better check on those kids. Every day, to make sure they’re good and safe, that.

— Judith Guest

A little advice about feelings kiddo; don’t expect it always to tickle.” Dr, Berger.

— Judith Guest

He will be eighteen in January, but he looks younger than that, and vulnerable; yet older at the same time. Tired. His face is drawn. He has an urge to shield him, but how? There is no way. No way at all.

— Judith Guest

It’s all right, Con, to feel anxious. Allow yourself a couple of bad days, now and then, will you?

— Judith Guest

First. I give a damn. About everything you do.

— Judith Guest

Maybe you gotta feel lousy sometime, in order to feel better. A little advice, kiddo, about feeling. Don’t think too much about it. And don’t expect it always to tickle.

— Judith Guest

He closes his eyes. A jungle in there, inside his head. He opens them quickly.

— Judith Guest

He had left off being a perfectionist then, when he discovered that not promptly kept appointments, not a house circumspectly clean, not membership in Onwentsia, or the Lake Forest Golf and Country Club, or the Lawyers’ Club, not power, or knowledge, or goodness – not anything – cleared you through the terrifying office of chance; that it is chance and not perfection that rules the world.

— Judith Guest
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