Bernard Cornwell quotes

Bernard Cornwell is a British author best known for his historical novels, particularly "The Last Kingdom" and "Sharpe" series. His works immerse readers in vividly detailed periods of British history and warfare. He is celebrated for his meticulous research and dynamic storytelling. Here are 195 of his quotes:

I'm fortunate that the books sell, but even more fortunate to live in Chatham, to be very happily married and to have, on the whole, a fairly clear conscience.

Bernard Cornwell

What I mean by that is that the point of life, as I see it, is not to write books or scale mountains or sail oceans, but to achieve happiness, and preferably an unselfish happiness.

Bernard Cornwell

I'll happily mentor anyone who wants mentoring, and most of that goes on by internet rather than face to face.

Bernard Cornwell

Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.

Bernard Cornwell

We all suffer from dreams.

Bernard Cornwell

The Forlorn Hope was for the brave. It may have been a courage born of desperation, or foolhardiness, but it was courage just the same. (pg. 13)

Bernard Cornwell

Wyrd bith ful araed (Fate is inexorable).

Bernard Cornwell

Writing is a solitary occupation.

Bernard Cornwell

Of course some days are easier than others, but my worst day is better than being in most humdrum occupations.

Bernard Cornwell

Book tours and research provide a lot of travel - too much, I sometimes think, but we do take vacations.

Bernard Cornwell

The bards sing of love, they celebrate slaughter, they extol kings and flatter queens, but were I a poet I would write in praise of friendship.

Bernard Cornwell

At risk of sounding foully pompous I think that writers' groups are probably very useful at the beginning of a writing career.

Bernard Cornwell

Television is a young person's medium.

Bernard Cornwell

I know nothing about producing TV drama and any involvement on my part is liable to prove an obstacle to the producers, so I prefer to be a cheerleader and let them get on with it.

Bernard Cornwell

It's fun. I sit down every day and tell stories. Some folk would kill to get that chance.

Bernard Cornwell

So far it's 43 books in 25 years.

Bernard Cornwell

Then you start another book and suddenly the galley proofs of the last one come in and you have to wrench your attention away from what you're writing and try to remember what you were thinking when you wrote the previous one.

Bernard Cornwell

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the first book had not sold... doesn't bear thinking about, but I suppose we'd have made it work somehow.

Bernard Cornwell

He's actually a rather good ruler. Better, I suspect, than most of our Christian monarchs. He's certainly been good for Mysore. He's fetched it a deal of wealth, given it more justice than most countries enjoy in India and he's been tolerant to most religions, though I fear he did persecute some unfortunate Christians.

Bernard Cornwell

Form them up Sergeant!" "Aye aye, sir." "You're not a bloody sailor, Sergeant. A plain yes will do.

Bernard Cornwell

In the short time I've known you, Richard, I've noticed you possess a lamentable tendency to put on shining armor and look for ladies to rescue. King Arthur, God rest his soul, would have loved you. He'd have had you fighting every evil knight in the forest.

Bernard Cornwell

We asked for them in February. It's June now; they must be coming." "They've been saying that about Christ for eighteen hundred years.

Bernard Cornwell