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James A. Michener — Portrait after a picture by Robert Wilson (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.

The quotations of

James A. Michener

American author

1907–1997

11 quotes, most often on Writing. Part of the Writers collection.

Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.
Chesapeake (1978)
- Virtue
America is a nation with many flaws, but hopes so vast that only the cowardly would refuse to acknowledge them.
- America
I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.
- Writing
The permanent temptation of life is to confuse dreams with reality. The permanent defeat of life comes when dreams are surrendered to reality.
I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.
- Writing
I think the crucial thing in the writing career is to find what you want to do and how you fit in. What somebody else does is of no concern whatever except as an interesting variation.
- Writing
The arrogance of the artist is a very profound thing, and it fortifies you.
- Art
I was brought up in the great tradition of the late nineteenth century: that a writer never complains, never explains and never disdains.
- Writing
If a man happens to find himself, he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life.
An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.
Space (1982)
- History
- Knowledge
Scientists dream about doing great things. Engineers do them.
Space (1982), Ch. 6
- Science
- Technology

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