Dorothy Dunnett
Dorothy Dunnett
Dorothy Dunnett OBEwas a Scottish historical novelist. She is best known for her six-part series about Francis Crawford of Lymond, The Lymond Chronicles, which she followed with the eight-part prequel The House of Niccolò. She also wrote a novel about the historical Macbeth called King Hereafter, and a series of mystery novels centred on Johnson Johnson, a portrait painter/spy...
began early groups letters readers received week
Early on, I received hundreds of letters every week from readers. Later, however, as groups began to organize, readers began writing to one another.
fate men hands
But I despised men who accepted their fate. I shaped mine twenty times and had it broken twenty times in my hands.
imagination lasts soil
Facts are the soil from which the story grows. Imagination is a last resort.
running risk protection
It seems to me,’ said Philippa prosaically, ‘that on the whole we run more risks with Mr Crawford’s protection than without it.
true-love strong hands
For an hour, blended with all she could offer, something noble had been created which had nothing to do with the physical world. And from the turn of his throat, the warmth of his hair, the strong, slender sinews of his hands, something further; which had. Though she combed the earth and searched through the smoke of the galaxies there was no being she wanted but this, who was not and should not be for Philippa Somerville.
ambition imagination ruins
And habits are hell's own substitute for good intentions. Habits are the ruin of ambition, of initiative , of imagination. They're the curse of marriage and the after-bane of death.
knives
Music, the knife without a hilt,
giving tourists limits
After I convinced them that I was a harmless novelist, I actually got them to give me a tour of the harem - which is usually off limits for tourists.
genius wasting-time resentment
Lack of genius never held anyone back. Only time wasted on resentment and daydreaming can do that.
past links joining
Where are the links of the chain ... joining us to the past?
immaturity today faces
Today,’ said Lymond, ‘if you must know, I don’t like living at all. But that’s just immaturity boggling at the sad face of failure. Tomorrow I’ll be bright as a bedbug again.
thinking office answers
Depose him,’ said Will Scott, astonished. ‘The Grand Master’s holy office terminates with his life.’ ‘And can nobody think of an answer to that?’ said Will Scott.
thinking rude upset
What’s wrong? Has Francis been rude? Then you must try to overlook it. I know you wouldn’t think so, but he is thoroughly upset by Tom Erskine’s death; and when Francis is troubled he doesn’t show it, he just goes and makes life wretched for somebody.
giving-up mean men
[Robin Stewart] was your man. True for you, you had withdrawn the crutch from his sight, but still it should have been there in your hand, ready for him. For you are a leader-don't you know it? I don't, surely, need to tell you?-And that is what leadership means. It means fortifying the fainthearted and giving them the two sides of your tongue while you are at it. It means suffering weak love and schooling it till it matures. It means giving up you privicies, your follies and your leasure. It means you can love nothing and no one too much, or you are no longer a leader, you are led.