“The Lord of the Rings” is not consciously based on anything but a complete “invention,” like the supposed Elvish languages. But there is no “invention” in the void, and naturally in digested form I am indebted to the myths and legends of literature.

Acknowledging the debt for the unconsciously digested ideas.  

“There’s No Invention In The Void.” J. R. R. Tolkien On His Inspiration For “The Lord of the Rings” Universe

Alexandre Dumas (1802 – 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where père is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the most widely read French authors. Many of his historical novels of high adventure were originally published as serials, including The Count of Monte Cristo. (Wikipedia)

The Count of Monte Cristo By Alexandre Dumas

Edmond Dantès is young, handsome and talented. Back home from a long voyage, he's set to become captain and marry his beautiful fiancée Mercédès.Edmond's really got everything going for him at this point. All he wants to do is serve his boss, respect his father, and love his soon-to-be wife. He's happy, and he has no idea that anybody might be conspiring against him.

Initial Situation

Danglars and Fernand – jealous of his success in business and love, respectively – conspire to get Edmond jailed for a crime he didn't commit – or, rather, one he didn't realize he was committing. Their scheme succeeds when Villefort, the assistant crown prosecutor, realizes he can further his career by playing along. Edmond is left to rot in jail.

Conflict

Edmond is driven mad – and nearly to the point of suicide – while in jail, but is saved thanks to a visit from his "next-door neighbor," Abbé Faria. With the Abbé's help, Edmond learns an incredible amount about pretty much everything, including how to find a huge amount of treasure on a desert island. Then he escapes.This whole sequence of events really changes the game. Not only does Edmond get out of jail, he gets limitless resources and a whole new identity as the Count of Monte Cristo. It's the beginning of a whole new narrative.

Complication

The Count of Monte Cristo is a study in suspense. From the moment Edmond gets out of jail, we're primed for some serious action, but it never comes. Even when his adversaries, the men he has sworn get revenge on, begin to die or go mad, we don't really feel great about it. The Count has spent so much time planning that, by the time he gets around to executing his plans, he's come to understand that something's seriously wrong…which brings us to the next stage.

Climax and Suspense

After his intervention in the de Villefort poisoning case leads Héloïse de Villefort to kill both herself and her son Edward, the Count realizes that maybe he's taken things a little too far. His attempts to save Edward fail, and he's thrown into a crisis of conscience. He subsequently allows Danglars to escape from Luigi Vampa with his life, though not before taking every last penny.The de Villefort incident disturbs the Count's plan and signals a great, if late, shift in the narrative, casting Monte Cristo's whole plan into a new and disturbing light.

Denouement

Monte Cristo convinces the suicidal Maximilian Morrel to put off ending his life. At book's end he reveals that Maximilian's lover, Valentine de Villefort is actually alive. Morrel is overjoyed, and the Count sails off into the sunset.Here, the Count is finally able to do something positive, to bring somebody "back to life," instead of driving them to suicide or madness. Leaving behind Valentine and Maximilian, he sets out to start fresh.

Conclusion

“All human wisdom is contained in these two words - Wait and Hope”-Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

Alexandre Dumas Quote

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Helping you understand Plot Analysis in The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - but, in a fun way.

The Count of Monte Cristo Plot Analysis | Shmoop

They say nothing lasts forever but they're just scared it will last longer than they can love it.

This <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0525562028&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0525562028%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186as9wlwa8&tag=bisafetynet2-20">stunning and poetic novel</a> is a letter from a son to his mother, who cannot read. Little Dog is in his 20s, exploring and speaking frankly about sexuality, masculinity, grief, and race as he unravels his family's history rooted in Vietnam, leading to an unforgettable conclusion in this powerful novel about humanity and language.

"On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous " by Ocean Vuong

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0062315005&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0062315005%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688700o2mhbhje&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Alchemist</a> is a powerful and inspirational story full of wisdom about a boy named Santiago who travels to Egypt from Spain in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids.On his adventure, Santiago encounters numerous obstacles, meets interesting new people, and discovers so much more than the treasure he once sought.

"The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

Love is or it ain't. Thin love ain't love at all.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1400033411&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1400033411%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688699jb8fqnfo&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Beloved</a> is a Pultizer Prize-winning historical fiction about Sethe, an escaped slave still running from her past 18 years later. Haunted both metaphorically by her memories and literally by the ghost of her baby, Sethe's past and present collide when a mysterious teenage girl arrives with the same name engraved upon her child's tombstone.

"Beloved" by Toni Morrison

I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Flittle-women-89681f90-5e42-4dd9-a56a-50840d9d84e9%2F9780451532084&sessionid=1650468688699p9k1716h">This adored classic </a>is about four sisters — Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy — who are struggling to survive in New England during the Civil War.First published in 1869, this novel has delighted readers for generations as they follow the sisters on each of their unique journeys to womanhood.

"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.

First published in 1969, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0385333846&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0385333846%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688699u9gk0f6l&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Slaughterhouse-Five</a> is an anti-war novel about Billy Pilgrim, who becomes a chaplain's assistant in the US. Army during World War II.While the story begins with Billy's childhood and continues years after the war, Billy occasionally travels through time to reflect upon his life, humanity, and the devastating effects of war.

"Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

There is always something left to love.

This <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0060883286&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0060883286%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650468688700cphhibb8&tag=bisafetynet2-20">beautiful multi-generational story </a>of the Buendía family begins with José Arcadio Buendía, the founding patriarch of the town of Macondo. Following seven generations of the family through feuds, friendships, and technological advancements, this novel uses magical realism to explore extraordinary moments through time.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez

What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0062498533&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0062498533%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318670wwtv1p&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Hate U Give</a> is a moving and timely young adult read about Starr Carter, a 16-year-old who witnesses her best friend, Khalil, get shot and killed by the police.When his death makes national headlines, everyone wants to hear what really happened, but Starr is fully aware of what telling the truth could mean as well as the consequences of staying silent.

"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for.

Loved as a funny and realistic view on war, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1451626657&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1451626657%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186qqsodlv9&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Catch-22</a> is about Yossarian, a bombardier during World War II who is mad that thousands of enemies are trying to kill him while his army continues to increase the number of dangerous missions he's required to fly.Yossarian finds himself in a Catch-22, a bureaucratic rule that says men who continue to fly dangerous missions should be considered insane, yet if they make a request to be removed, they are proven sane and ineligible for relief.

"Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart: I am, I am, I am.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0060837020&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0060837020%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186c7p3651h&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Bell Jar</a> is a semi-autobiographical novel and a haunting classic from Sylvia Plath. The book follows Esther Greenwood, a young woman in Boston who is consumed by depression and anxiety as her mental state worsens over time.

"The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0143135694&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0143135694%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318671ibzilp&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Color Purple</a> is a magnificent and important novel about the abuse silently suffered by Black women in the 20th century.Celie and Nettie are sisters who were separated as children but continue to communicate and share messages of hope through letters that sustain them through seemingly insurmountable pain in this story of strength and redemption.

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker

Now that I knew fear, I also knew it was not permanent. As powerful as it was, its grip on me would loosen. It would pass.

This <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0062065254&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0062065254%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186pu7n4h3y&tag=bisafetynet2-20">2012 National Book Award winner</a> follows a young boy on the Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota whose community and family is changed forever in the wake of a terrible crime. Richly layered, this profound mystery is about so much more than finding a criminal and seeking justice.

"The Round House" by Louise Erdrich

When I discover who I am, I'll be free.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0679732764&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0679732764%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186grd70r8u&tag=bisafetynet2-20">Invisible Man</a> is a 1952 classic that shaped American literature as an unnamed man from the South who gets a scholarship to an all-Black school in Harlem but must participate in a horrifying and humiliating "battle royal" in order to claim his spot.Powerful and raw, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0679732764&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0679732764%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=16504679031866367l8ig&tag=bisafetynet2-20">this novel</a> explores identity and belonging as the narrator continues to search for his individuality in a society that doesn't want him to be himself.

"Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.

First published in 1818, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Ffrankenstein-9798688164879%2F9780486282114&sessionid=16504679031866exqcs85">Frankenstein</a> is a horror classic about a scientist named Victor Frankenstein who brings a monster to life and flees his laboratory in disgust, to return the next day and find that the creature is missing.In this novel that explores the dark power of alienation, Frankenstein's monster tells the devastating story to his creator of his first challenging days in the world.

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

In this <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1594483299&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1594483299%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186u2e7d09r&tag=bisafetynet2-20">classic French children's book</a>, a young prince meets a pilot whose plane has crashed in the desert, who begins to tell him his story of traveling across various planets and all he had seen and learned along the way. One of the most translated books in the world, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0156012197&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0156012197%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903186018xqabj&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Little Prince</a> is for readers of all ages who wish to reminisce upon the nostalgic innocence of childhood.

"The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fdon-quixote-9780060934347%2F9781973836254&sessionid=1650467903186wevygz5k">Don Quixote</a> is a historical novel from the 1600s and one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-selling-books-of-all-time#:~:text=1.,Amazon%20and%20Bookshop%2C%20from%20%2415.30&text=The%20highest%20selling%20and%20most,and%20the%20other%20in%201615.">top-selling books of all time</a>.Quixano is a young nobleman who decides to become a knight-errant after reading countless romances and falling in love with the idea of chivalry. Under the name "Don Quixote de la Mancha," Quixano brings the witty Sancho Panza along as his squire on his quest for knighthood.

"Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fwuthering-heights-d56998e3-d55b-4a8b-9b34-16b3d303e8ea%2F9780141439556&sessionid=1650467903186ow52jpj1">Wuthering Heights</a> is a classic, gothic novel from 1847 about two families — the Lintons and the Earnshaws — and their relationships with the Earnshaws' adopted son, Heathcliff. Full of complex characters, this classic follows Heathcliff's young friendship with his benefactor's daughter, Cathy, as it grows and morphs into a passionate and twisted romance.

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fi-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings%2F9780345514400&sessionid=165046790318615q7ztn6">I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</a> is Maya Angelou's first book in her multi-volume autobiography series.This installment offers a glimpse at Maya Angelou's early years as she struggles against racism when she and her brother are sent to live with their grandmother in a small Southern town. When she returns to live with her mother, a horrible attack changes Maya Angelou's life forever in this memoir about identity, race, and hope in the face of impossible circumstances.

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

Offred can remember enjoying life with her husband and daughter not long ago. Now, trapped in a dystopian present where women are only valued if they have viable ovaries, Offred is the Commander's handmaid, forced to lie down for him once a month and pray she gets pregnant in this <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHandmaids-Tale-Margaret-Atwood%2Fdp%2F038549081X%2F%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=16504679031867oytce2h&tag=bisafetynet2-20">devastatingly memorable read</a>.

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.

Hazel's terminal cancer diagnosis has been extended by a few years when she meets a gorgeous boy named Augustus in her support group. Immediately drawn to one another, they agree to read each other's favorite books, launching a whirlwind teenage romance that's full of love and heartbreak.

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0358062683&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0358062683%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318784gm6dax&tag=bisafetynet2-20">The Namesake</a> is Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel and explores the immigrant experience through the Ganguli family, whose story begins as Ashoke and Ashima uproot their traditional life in Calcutta and move to America shortly after their arranged marriage so Ashoke can attend school at MIT. When Ashima names their child Gogol, the meaning of his name continues to follow him through his life as he navigates the expectations of a first-generation immigrant.

"The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

We accept the love we think we deserve.

In this <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1451696191&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1451696191%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=165046790318730rplokm&tag=bisafetynet2-20">unique coming-of-age novel</a> set in the 1990s, Charlie is a freshman in high school who is torn between passivity and a budding passion for life while also being stuck between childhood and adulthood. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=1451696191&platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&postTag=biauto-51405-20&sc=false&type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1451696191%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-51405-20&sessionid=1650467903187x9a09aj8&tag=bisafetynet2-20">This book</a> is a compilation of his letters to an unknown recipient, discussing the challenges he faces with his family, in school, and in his personal life.

"Perks of Being A Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

Not all those who wander are lost.

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fthe-fellowship-of-the-ring-the-lord-of-the-rings-part-one-9780345339706%2F9780345339706&sessionid=1650467903187wux72ftw">The Fellowship of the Ring</a> is the first novel in the classic fantasy "Lord of the Rings" series.In <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?platform=browser&postSource=bi%7C61df3ee60f84c037849ebf70&sc=false&type=LINK-WITH-REVIEW-SLASH-OUT&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fthe-fellowship-of-the-ring-the-lord-of-the-rings-part-one-9780345339706%2F9780345339706&sessionid=1650467903187dw8zh51r">this book</a>, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins entrusts young Frodo Baggins with an incredible and dangerous task: To take the powerful Ring to the Cracks of Doom and destroy it once and for all. Frodo sets off on an epic adventure across Middle-Earth in this beloved and revered novel.

"The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkein

For readers looking for a new inspirational read or wondering where some of the greatest lines originated from, here are some of the best literary quotes and the books they came from.

We rounded up some of the most famous and inspirational book quotes — as well as the classic and contemporary books they're from.

Famous Quotes

The 22 best book quotes & the books they come from

Caring too much for objects can destroy you. Only—if you care for a thing enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn’t it? And isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty?

I had the epiphany that laughter was light, and light was laughter, and that this was the secret of the universe.

A great sorrow, and one that I am only beginning to understand: we don’t get to choose our own hearts. We can’t make ourselves want what’s good for us or what’s good for other people. We don’t get to choose the people we are.

That life - whatever else it is - is short. That fate is cruel but maybe not random. That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it. That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open. And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.

Stay away from the ones you love too much. Those are the ones who will kill you.

When you feel homesick,’ he said, ‘just look up. Because the moon is the same wherever you go.

But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief pounded over me in waves that left me gasping; and when the waves washed back, I found myself looking out over a brackish wreck which was illumined in a light so lucid, so heartsick and empty, that I could hardly remember that the world had ever been anything but dead.

Every new event—everything I did for the rest of my life—would only separate us more and more: days she was no longer a part of, an ever-growing distance between us. Every single day for the rest of my life, she would only be further away.

My favourite quotes from the goldfinch that say everything that needs to be said.

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE "The Goldfinch is a rarity that comes along perhaps half a dozen times per decade, a smartly written literary novel that connects with the heart as well as the mind....Donna Tartt has delivered an extraordinary work of fiction."--Stephen King, The New York Times Book Review Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art. As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love--and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle. The Goldfinch is a mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night and tell-all-your-friends triumph, an old-fashioned story of loss and obsession, survival and self-invention, and the ruthless machinations of fate.

The Goldfinch

“You and everyone you know are going to be dead soon. And in the short amount of time between here and there, you have a limited amount of fucks to give.”

“Suffering through your fears and anxieties is what allows you to build courage and perseverance.” - Mark Manson

Suffering As Courage

“If everyone were extraordinary, then by definition no one would be extraordinary.” - Mark Manson

The Concept Of Extraordinary  

“Self-awareness is like an onion. There are multiple layers to it, and the more you peel them back, the more likely you’re going to start crying.” - Mark Manson

The Self-Awareness Onion 

“If you think at any point you’re allowed to stop climbing, I’m afraid you’re missing the point. Because the joy is the climb itself.” - Mark Manson

The Climb

“Nobody makes it through life without collecting a few scars on the way out.” - Mark Manson

Scars

“We need to reject something. Otherwise, we stand for nothing.” - Mark Manson

Resistance

Notable quotes from Mark Manson’s famous book…

#1 New York Times Bestseller Over 1 million copies sold In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.

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