good books, good quotes

I keep a notebook of quotes from books I read, speeches I hear, websites, and friendly conversation. I was updating it with a few good quotes from the past few books I've read and thought they'd be worth a share.

"I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."
~To kill a mockingbird
I feel like this sums up my life and literature. I read because it's a basic part of life. I read because it is natural.

"there were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful."
~the picture of dorian gray
So many times I feel this is what our world is becoming. There is so much evil. It makes the good, the pure, the beautiful stand out. How have we come this far when everything began so beautifully? When everything started out as "very good"?

One that note:
"they were astonished st what he had to tell them of human history- of war, slavery, and prostitution. 'It is because they have no Oyarsa,' said one of the pupils. 'It is because every one of them wants to be a little Oyarsa himself,'said augray. ~out of the silent planet
Lewis so accurately describes the cause of my questions above. How did we sink so low to this evil we live in? We all wanted to become little gods ourselves. Not even little gods, we all want to be THE god. Nothing anyone or anything else says matters. "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" to quote judges.

"knowledge would be fatal. It is the uncertainty that charms one. A mist makes things wonderful."
~the picture of dorian gray
A mist is a very wonderful and romantic thing. Everything truly does seem better in a mist (except driving). The scene where Anne and Gilbert are finally together, that would not be nearly so romantic if it had been clear and sunny. When Mr. Darcy comes strolling through the field in the early morning to meet miss Elizabeth, the mist makes it that much better. A good mist creates the ambiance of romance, of trust, of secrets. When one enters never never land it is alway enshrouded with a good must on first arrival. Like waking up from the best dream, a good mist. Happiness.

I need to start turning on my computer so I can properly capitalize my words. Apologies. I just get so lazy on the blackberry.

Go out and read a good book. I encourage you.