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The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty.

John Steinbeck

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John Steinbeck
Age: 66 †
Born: 1902
Born: February 27
Died: 1968
Died: December 20
Author
Novelist
Screenwriter
War Correspondent
Writer
Salinas
California
John Ernst Steinbeck
Jr.
John Ernst Steinbeck
John Ernest Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr
Steinbeck
Dishonesty
Stupidity
Discipline
Stupid
Written
Literature
Word
Writing
Punishes

More quotes by John Steinbeck

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Strength and success - they are above morality, above criticism. It seems, then, that it is not what you do, but how you do it and what you call it. Is there a check in men, deep in them, that stops or punishes? There doesn't seem to be. The only punishment is for failure. In effect no crime is committed unless a criminal is caught.
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The last clear definite function of men—muscles aching to work, minds aching to create beyond the single need—this is man.
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When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you've got two new people.
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With all our horrors and faults, somewhere in us there is a shining.
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I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts.
John Steinbeck
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I believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents.... The face and body may be perfect, but if a twisted gene or a malformed egg can produce physical monsters, may not the same process produce a malformed soul?
John Steinbeck
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The ways of sin are curious . . . I guess if a man had to shuck off everything he had, inside and out, he'd manage to hide a few little sins somewhere for his own discomfort. They're the last things we'll give up.
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I guess I'm trying to say, Grab anything that goes by. It may not come around again.
John Steinbeck
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The profession of book writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business.
John Steinbeck
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Three hours of writing require twenty hours of preparation. Luckily I have learned to dream about the work, which saves me some working time.
John Steinbeck
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And their greed was for gold or God. They collected souls as they collected jewels.
John Steinbeck
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It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.
John Steinbeck
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I know three things will never be believed - the true, the probable, and the logical
John Steinbeck
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Many are the stories I have heard about myself. I have mistresses I have never met. When I hear that I am a sodomist and a zoophalist then I shall know that I have reached the high point of fame, but I suppose I can hardly expect such exaltation for many years.
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Within that frame he went a long way and burned a deep scar.
John Steinbeck
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It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.
John Steinbeck
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One can't be happy as I have been for very long. There's a law against it. I have worked hard and enjoyed my work and it is the punishment of man to hate his work. Sooner or later I will have work that I hate.
John Steinbeck
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There's a capacity for appetite... that a whole heaven and earth of cake can't satisfy
John Steinbeck
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If a story is not about the hearer, he will not listen. And here I make a rule—a great and interesting story is about everyone or it will not last.
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I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature.
John Steinbeck