John Steinbeck Quotes

You ain’t worth a greased jack-pin to ram you into hell.

No matter how good a man is, there’s always some horse can pitch him.

Why, a trick horse is kind of like an actor – no dignity, no character of his own.

If you’re in trouble or hurt or need – go to poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones.

People like you to be something, preferably what they are.

His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought.

For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more. And this is said in disparagement, whereas it is one of the greatest talents the species has and one that has made it superior to animals that are satisfied with what they have.

For every man in the world functions to the best of his ability, and no one does less than his best, no matter what he may think about it.

And since, when a joyful thing happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her, it was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.

You don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.

When the virus of restlessness begins to take possession of a wayward man, and the road away from Here seems broad and straight and sweet, the victim must first find himself a good and sufficient reason for going.

What freedom men and women could have, were they not constantly tricked and trapped and enslaved and tortured by their sexuality! The only drawback in that freedom is that without it one would not be a human. One would be a monster.