James A. Michener quotes

James A. Michener was an American author renowned for his sweeping, epic novels often based on historical themes and locations. His meticulous research and storytelling brought to life the cultures and histories of places such as Hawaii, Poland, and Texas. He influenced generations of readers with his vivid narratives and dedication to historical detail. Here are 76 of his quotes:

Scientists dream about doing great things. Engineers do them.

James A. Michener

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.

James A. Michener

An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.

James A. Michener

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.

James A. Michener

Russia, France, Germany and China. They revere their writers. America is still a frontier country that almost shudders at the idea of creative expression.

James A. Michener

The arrogance of the artist is a very profound thing, and it fortifies you.

James A. Michener

The permanent temptation of life is to confuse dreams with reality. The permanent defeat of life comes when dreams are surrendered to reality.

James A. Michener

The really great writers are people like Emily Brontë who sit in a room and write out of their limited experience and unlimited imagination.

James A. Michener

A group of two dozen nurses completely surrounded by 100,000 unattached American men.

James A. Michener

I was a Navy officer writing about Navy problems and I simply stole this lovely Army nurse and popped her into a Navy uniform, where she has done very well for herself.

James A. Michener

It is difficult to be king when the gods are changing.

James A. Michener

Things are going to go wrong, and I think we are false to life if we don't portray it. But there is also the hope that some lucky clown is going to come along and stumble into the gold mine. And I think you are also entitled to hold out that hope.

James A. Michener

If your book doesn't keep you up nights when you are writing it, it won't keep anyone up nights reading it.

James A. Michener

We are never prepared for what we expect.

James A. Michener

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter.

James A. Michener

No invader has ever conquered the heart of Poland, that spirit which is the inheritance of sons and daughters, the private passion of families and the ancient, unbreakable tie to all those who came before.

James A. Michener

It was the silent time before dawn, along the shores of what had been one of the most beautiful lakes in southern Africa.

James A. Michener

On 24 October 1944 Planet Earth was following its orbit about the sun as it has obediently done for nearly five billion years.

James A. Michener

About a billion years ago, long before the continents had separated to define the ancient oceans, or their own outlines had been determined, a small protuberance jutted out from the northwest corner of what would later become North America.

James A. Michener

No man leaves where he is and seeks a distant place unless he is in some respect a failure.

James A. Michener

I am terrified of restrictive religious doctrine, having learned from history that when men who adhere to any form of it are in control, common men like me are in peril.

James A. Michener

Writers turn dreams into print.

James A. Michener