Quotes from Anne McCaffrey

These are the quotes tweeted over the past week, and all but the last of them were from Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books.

“It would be simple … but … it wasn’t simple.” The Masterharper of Pern. “It” is suicide, after Robinton’s wife has died, partly of her exposure on their honeymoon.

“A man convinced against his will is of his old opinion still.” The Masterharper of Pern. An old saw that Robinton repeats to F’lon, trying to keep him from further antagonizing the Lord Holders.

“There’s nothing wrong in doubting. It sometimes leads to greater faith.” Dragonflight, the first book written in the Pern series. F’lar to Lessa, when she is expressing her doubt that Thread will fall again.

“Living was striving to do something impossible.” Dragonflight. Lessa’s thought after the first fall. It continues, “to succeed or die, knowing you had tried!”

“I don’t know how to get to a when that has not yet happened.” Dragonflight. F’lar, in response to Robinton’s suggestion that he use the dragons’ ability to go across time to see if his plan is working.

“The real problem is to reconcile the old with the new.” Dragonquest. F’lar, speaking to Lessa and realizing that the fight over the knife was only a symptom of the gap in perceptions of those brought forward in time 400 years and the present-day Pern.

“I’d get myself in serious trouble someday because I couldn’t tell love from lust.” Sue Ann Bowling, Homecoming. Derik is speaking to Roi, saying what he’d been told long ago. He has had to invade Roi’s memories to tell why he didn’t key a response properly, and found what Roi really thought of his advances.