Karen Swallow Prior Quotes

“I am so afraid that strangers with think me good! and there is a degree of hypocrisy in appearing much better than one is.” - Hannah More”

“I am so afraid that strangers with think me good! and there is a degree of hypocrisy in appearing much better than one is.” - Hannah More”

“Hannah, do you think that your mum and dad and Tate's mum and dad and my mum and dad and Webb and Tate are all together someplace?' she asks earnestly. I look at Hannah, waiting for the answer. And then she smiles. Webb once said that a Narnie smile was a revelation and, at this moment, I need a revelation. And I get one. 'I wonder,' Hannah says.”

“It is so easy to practice a creditable degree of so seeming virtue, and so difficult to purify and direct the affections of the heart, that I feel myself in continual danger of appearing better than I am; and I verily believe it is possible to make one’s whole life a display of splendid virtue and agreeable qualities, without ever setting foot towards the narrow path, or even one’s face towards the strait gate.” – Hannah More”

“When a man of sense comes to marry, it is a companion whom he wants, and not an artist. It is not merely a creature who can paint, and play, and sing, and draw, and dress, and dance; it is a being who can comfort and counsel him; one who can reason and reflect, and feel, and judge, and discourse, and discriminate; one who can assist him in his affairs, lighten his cares, sooth his sorrows, strengthen his principles, and educate his children.” – Hannah More”

“Hannah's faith was the answer to her stress. And, through that faith, she found peace, even though her life remained far from peaceful. Her faith resulted in God working on her behalf. Hannah did not find peace because she left a stressful situation – she found peace because she had learned to depend on God’s strength to rise above her stress.”

“HANNAH: You had a vision.PRIOR: A vision. Thank you, Maria Ouspenskaya. I'm not so far gone I can be assuaged by pity and lies.HANNAH: I don't have pity. It's just not something I have.(Little pause)One hundred and seventy years ago, which is recent, an angel of God appeared to Joseph Smith in upstateNew York, not far from here. People have visions.PRIOR: But that's preposterous, that's...HANNAH: It's not polite to call other people's beliefs preposterous.He had great need of understanding. Our Prophet. His desire made prayer. His prayer made an angel. The angel was real. I believe that.PRIOR: I don't. And I'm sorry but it's repellent to me. So much of what you believe.HANNAH: What do I believe?PRIOR: I'm a homosexual. With AIDS. I can just imagine what you ...HANNAH: No you can't. Imagine. The things in my head.You don't make assumptions about me, mister; I won't make them about you.”

“I sat down in a chair by the bed. The house got altogether still again, and I thought he was asleep. Just ever so quietly I reached over and laid my hand on his shoulder.He said, 'I love you too, Hannah."He didn't last long after that. Death had become his friend. They say that people, if they want to, can let themselves slip away when the time comes. I think that is what Nathan did. He was not false or greedy. When the time came to go, he went.”

“When they reached the table, Hannah started to introduce them. “Layla, this is Joe. Joe, this is—”“We’ve already met,” said Joseph, extending his hand and smiling.“Have we?” asked Layla, baffled.“Have you?” said Hannah. This was news to her.“Yeah, we have,” continued Joseph. “A couple of hours ago. On the road into the village. You tried to kill me, remember?”“Kill you?” gasped Layla. “You’re the biker? The one I knocked over?”“You knocked him over?” repeated Hannah in horror.“I didn’t mean to,” explained Layla quickly. “It was an accident. I was going to tell you about it. I just haven’t had the chance yet.”Turning to Joseph, Hannah asked, “Are you okay? Are you hurt at all?”“Well,” he replied somberly, “apart from my right arm, which I’m not sure is going to be of much use to me ever again, I’m fine.”As Layla’s jaw dropped open, he added quickly, “I’m joking. Really, it’s just a joke. I’m fine.”“Right, well, in that case,” Hannah continued, “as I was saying, Layla, this is Joseph Scott. Joe, this is Layla Lewis, your would-be killer, next door neighbor, and my best friend. She’s house-sitting whilst Lenny’s in Scotland.”“Next door neighbor, huh?” replied Joseph, taking a swig from his pint glass. “That could prove interesting.”

“But Hannah's friend didn’t understand the volatile balancing act between art and sanity, that the act of creation was like walking a tightrope during an earthquake. She didn’t understand Hannah’s stupid need for validation, or that the size of the audience increased the stakes and multiplied the fear. She didn’t understand that creativity was dangerous, that, yes, there were some people who could stand before a canvas, paint a sunset that would bring the world to its knees, and return to their loved ones as a complete person who didn’t hurt, didn’t cry, didn’t spill blood to appease the host of fickle muses. But Hannah did. Hannah’s best ideas—sometimes her only ideas—were buried beneath the skin.”

“The Honey that Adorns my soul to Network with all Nobility in an Affable Humility means Hannah”