Quotes by John Boyne

About John Boyne:

John Boyne is an Irish novelist. He is the author of nine novels for adults and four novels for younger readers. His novels are published in 48 languages.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

We don't have the luxury of thinking ... Some people make all the decisions for us

John Boyne

He's crazy," Bruno said, twirling a finger in circles around the side of his head and whistling to indicate just how crazy he thought he was. "He went up to a cat on the street the other day and invited her over for afternoon tea." "What did the cat ...

John Boyne

He looked the boy up and down as if he had never seen a child before and wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do with one: eat it, ignore it or kick it down the stairs.

John Boyne

What exactly was the difference? he wondered to himself. And who decided which people wore the striped pajamas and which people wore the uniforms?

John Boyne

...Despite the mayhem that followed, Bruno found that he was still holding Shmuel's hand in his own and nothing in the world would have persuaded him to let go.

John Boyne

Don't make it worse by thinking it's more painful than it actually is.

John Boyne

He pushed his two feet together and shot his right arm in the air before clicking his two heels together and saying in a deep and clear voice as possible the words he said every time he left a soldiers presence. 'Heil Hitler,' he said, which, he pres...

John Boyne

I can remember being eight, and I like writing about that age of innocence when children still have a sense of wonder.

John Boyne

I wrote my first book at 20, but my whole focus from about the age of 12 was to be a writer.

John Boyne

And soon afterwards this manuscript will appear, my final book... There will be outrage and disgust and people will turn on me at the last, they will hate me, my reputation will for ever be destroyed, my punishment earned, self-inflicted like this gu...

John Boyne

Do you see the irony at all, Tristan?’ I stare at him and shake my head. He seems determined not to speak again until I do. ‘What irony?’ I ask eventually, the words tumbling out in a hurried heap. ‘That I am to be shot as a coward while you ...

John Boyne

It occurs to me that even though Zoya and I are both still alive, my life is already over. She will be taken from me soon and there will be no reason for me to continue without her. We are one person, you see. We are GeorgyandZoya.

John Boyne

Neither your mother nor I have any imagination at all and we certainly didn't bring you up to have one

John Boyne

There is cruelty in the world Eliza, you can see that, can't you? It surrounds us. It breathes on us. We spend our life trying to escape it.

John Boyne

No woman will ever take care of my children but me, she said. I will not allow it, do you understand? And after I am gone Madge Toxley, if you try to make them yours, then you will live to regret it.

John Boyne

You are not there, Father,” I cried. “I wake up at Gaudlin Hall, I spend most of my day there, I sleep there at night. And throughout it all there is but one thought running through my mind.” “And that is?” “This house is haunted.

John Boyne

I move between the two: I write an adult novel, and then I write a children's book. I quite enjoy that. It's a nice change of pace each time.

John Boyne

I hope for so much from every book I read. And time and again, I find myself disappointed. I look across my bookshelves and see hundreds of titles which in my memory seem merely mediocre or second-rate. Only occasionally does a novel appear for which...

John Boyne

Throughout my teenage years, I read 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens every December. It was a story that never failed to excite me, for as well as being a Dickens enthusiast, I have always loved ghost stories.

John Boyne

It's not easy making a living as a writer, and for many years I worked at a Waterstones in Dublin. It was a good environment for an aspiring writer, with lots of events and authors appearing.

John Boyne

Author Bio

  • NameJohn Boyne
  • DescriptionIrish novelist
  • BornApril 30, 1971
  • CountryIreland
  • ProfessionWriter
  • WorksThe Boy In The Striped Pyjamas