"What we have, we all must lose—that applied to everything, even to that which we thought we had the greatest right. We were tenants of this earth—noth...
…the world was a vale of tears—it always had been.
~ Alexander McCall Smith ~
Photo by Ákos Szabó
Photo by Ian Turnell
…the world was a vale of tears—it always had been.
More Alexander McCall Smith quotes
"…there is faith and faith. One form of faith is actual practice—the rituals and so on—the other form of faith involves actually believing in it.
"She had always understood that love could have an intense physical effect; could fill a space somewhere in the chest, could turn knees weak, could rai...
"Can you forgive her? Can you do that?There was no response.Because if you can start to forgive, then it will become easier.And?And then you will be ab...
"Tolerance was like one of those soothing creams—it drew out inflammation, it did away with the pain.
"People don’t talk about mercy very much these days—it has a rather old-fashioned ring to it. but it exists and its power is quite extraordinary
"…one of those dreadful boarding schools. It was down on the South Coast. I think some very unpleasant things happened there…. So many lives were disto...
"…did it make a difference if the remark never got back to the person about whom it was made? She thought not. The harm is done when the words are utte...
"Human history seems to me to be one long story of people sweeping down—or up, I suppose—replacing other people in the process.
"It shall be an offence for any man, either a husband or other person of the male sex, married or otherwise, being over the age of twelve years, to thr...
"She was proud of her build, which was in accordance with the old Botswana ideas of beauty, and she would not pander to the modern idea of slenderness....
"I shall go and sit under a tree…. Which tree, Mma?... Oh, there are many trees in this life, she said. It does not matter which tree you choose, as lo...
"There is a tidal wave of ignorance, Mma Ramotswe. It is a great tidal wave and it will drown all of us if we are not careful.
"It was a voice that you felt you had to listen to—or you ignored at your peril.
"Men, she thought, were odd about their clothes: they liked to wear the same things until they became defeated and threadbare.