Great lines from great literature

If you love a good book then you will love these lines from some of the best novels ever written, curated by the Viewtale review team.

1. She says nothing at all, but simply stares upward into the dark sky and watches, with sad eyes, the slow dance of the infinite stars.

–– Stardust.

2. The only lies for which we are truly punished are those we tell ourselves.

–– In a Free State.

3. A screaming comes across the sky.

–– Gravity’s Rainbow.

4. It was a pleasure to burn.

–– Fahrenheit 451.

5. The curves of your lips rewrite history.

— The Picture of Dorian Gray.

6. Forty minutes later he was up in the sky.

–– The Book of Strange New Things.

7. The sun had not yet risen.

–– The Waves.

8. You exposed your penis on national television, Max.

–– Sellevision.

9. She was seventy-five and she was going to make some changes in her life.

–– The Corrections.

10. Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

— The Temptest.

11. And the rest is rust and stardust.

–– Lolita.

12. A book should be an axe to chop open the frozen sea inside us.

— Summertime: Fiction.

13. The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.

–– On The Road.

14. Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.

— The History of Love.

15. Each time you happen to me all over again.

— The Age of Innocence.

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Classic children’s books you need to read now

If you read these books as a child, then now is the time to read them again as an adult. Here are two great children’s books to read now, curated by the Viewtale review team.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

In the night, Peter Pan enters the nursery of Wendy, John and Michael, the Darling children. Not only does Peter teach them to fly, he takes them to Never-Never Land where they meet Red Indians, wolves, mermaids and pirates.

The leader of the pirates is the nasty Captain Hook whose hand was bitten off by a crocodile, After lots of adventures, the story reaches its climax as Peter, Wendy and the children battle with Captain Hook and his evil band of men.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

This classic tale of fantasy has attracted a growing audience in each generation for decades.

Rat, Mole, Badger and the preposterous Mr Toad have brought delight to many readers through the years with their odd adventures on and by the river, and at the imposing residence of Toad Hall.

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Great quotes to read when you’ve got some time to spare

Find that you have a bit more time on your hands than usual? Well, that seems to be the case for most people these days. Here is a great collection of quotes curated by the Viewtale review team to read when you have a few minutes to spare.

“All men are equal before fish.” – Herbert Hoover

“If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.” – Hillary Clinton

“You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is ‘never try.'” – Homer Simpson

“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.” – Indira Gandhi

“People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” – Isaac Asimov

“I’d rather have 1% of the effort of 100 men than 100% of my own effort.” – J. Paul Getty

“My wife Mary and I have been married for forty-seven years and not once have we had an argument serious enough to consider divorce; murder, yes, but divorce, never.” – Jack Benny

“When we talk to God, we’re praying. When God talks to us, we’re schizophrenic.” – Jane Wagner

“Men are like shoes. Some fit better than others. And sometimes you go out shopping and there’s nothing you like. And then, as luck would have it, the next week you find two that are perfect, but you don’t have the money to buy both.” – Janet Evanovich

“According to a new survey, 90% of men say their lover is also their best friend. Which is really kind of disturbing when you consider man’s best friend is his dog.” – Jay Leno

“Here’s something to think about: How come you never see a headline like ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’?” – Jay Leno

“My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of other pessimists.” – Jean Rostand

“Haters are just confused admirers because they can’t figure out the reason why everyone loves you.” – Jeffree Star

“It’s amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper.” – Jerry Seinfeld

“Laugh a lot. It burns a lot of calories.” – Jessica Simpson

“Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.” – Jim Davis

“The simple act of opening a bottle of wine has brought more happiness to the human race than all the collective governments in the history of earth.” – Jim Harrison

“Americans are incredibly inpatient. Someone once said that the shortest period of time in America is the time between when the light turns green and when you hear the first horn honk.” – Jim Rohn

“Age is just a number. It’s totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine.” – Joan Collins

“Why is there so much month left at the end of the money?” – John Barrymore

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Great classic films to watch now

Looking to sit down with a good movie to take your mind off things? Then choose one of these great American films, selected by the Viewtale review team, and get your popcorn popping!

Top Hat by Mark Sandrich

It's not just that the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dances are spectacular, which they are, this is also the funniest of all the dance musicals. The songs are by Irving Berlin and include "Cheek to Cheek," "Isn't It a Lovely Day (to be Caught in the Rain)?" and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails."

Stagecoach by John Ford

There were Westerns before "Stagecoach," but every Western after it was influenced by it. A young John Wayne is the white-hatted prisoner who first fights a band of Indians and then outlaws while winning the heart of the fallen Claire Trevor, who has the requisite heart of gold.

Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks

Just about every joke — and there are a lot of jokes — works in this inspired parody of "Frankenstein" and the horror movies made by Universal Pictures in the 1930s.

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Must Read Books Every Novel Lover Should Read at Least Once

Books open doors in our minds, allowing us to live an entire lifetime and travel the world without even leaving the comfort of our chairs. Here are some of the best-selling books you need to have on your radar now, curated by the Viewtale review team.

The Kite Runner (2009) by Khaled Hosseini

Told against the backdrop of the changing political landscape of Afghanistan from the 1970s to the period following 9/11, The Kite Runner is the story of the unlikely and complicated friendship between Amir, the son of a wealthy merchant, and Hassan, the son of his father’s servant until cultural and class differences and the turmoil of war tear them asunder. Hosseini brings his homeland to life for us in a way that post 9/11 media coverage never could, showing us a world of ordinary people who live, die, eat, pray, dream, and love. It’s a story about the long shadows that family secrets cast across decades, the enduring love of friendship, and the transformative power of forgiveness.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

This Newbery award-winning novel tells the story of Annemarie Yohansen, a Danish girl growing up in World War II Copenhagen with her best friend, Ellen, who happens to be Jewish. When Annemarie learns about the horrors that the Nazis are inflicting on the Jewish people, she and her family stop at nothing to protect Ellen and her parents, as well as countless other Jews. Lowry’s novel is a powerful reminder that cultural and religious differences are no divide between true friends and that love shines all the brighter against the darkness of hatred.

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Classic Books to Read Now

If you find yourself with a bit more free time on your hands, why not pick up a great classic book? Here are a few selected by the Viewtale review team you will really enjoy. Hey, they aren’t called classics without reason!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Hinton penned this novel when she was only 16 because she was tired of reading fluffy romances. She wanted a story about the harsh realities of being a teenager in mid-20th century America, and since none existed, she wrote one herself. Told from the perspective of orphan Ponyboy Kurtis, this multiple award-winning young adult novel tells the story of a group of rough, teenage boys on the streets of an Oklahoma town, struggling to survive and stick together amidst violence, peer pressure, and broken homes. The novel reminds us that growing up is never easy and that pain, loss, friendship, and love are universal experiences that both create and dissolve socio-economic boundaries.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

A richly written novel with a cast of memorable characters, Little Women invites us into the warm, comfortable home of a 19th-century American family. Everyone can find a character trait that resonates with them, whether Jo’s temper, Meg’s vanity, Amy’s mischievousness, or Beth’s shyness. The novel is a coming-of-age story that follows four sisters (the March girls) from girlhood to womanhood in Civil War America. Together they learn about the harsh realities of poverty, illness, and death, and how to dream, love, and laugh through it all. This is a heartwarming, timeless classic about the importance of family and the simple, home-spun comfort of never being alone.

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Quotes from Classic Literature that Beautifully Describe Love, Friendship, and Selflessness

Here are some of the Viewtale review team’s favorite classic quotes from literature that show selflessness and sacrifice.

1. “A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self.” - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

2. “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” - Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

3. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” - Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

4. “To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.” - Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

5. “What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life–to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?” - George Eliot, Adam Bede

6. “Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.” - C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

7. “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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