Quotes by Roddy Doyle

She’s happier than Nicola. That’s probably true. Alcoholics can stop drinking but what is there for the children of alcoholics? Is it always too late? Probably. She doesn’t know.

Schools dont really allow failure and yet its part of any endeavour, not just writing.

Shed tried her hand at most things, but drew the line at honesty.

Gloria screamed, but nothing came out. She could feel the scream in her throat, but it was clinging there, too scared to climb out of her mouth.Raymond might have screamed, too--he wasnt sure. His face was an exploding red ball--that was what it felt like. His heart was in the middle of his head. He couldnt see a thing.

We parked our bikes on verges so they could graze.

Sometimes, when you were thinking about something, trying to understand it, it opened up in your head without you expecting it to, like it was a soft spongy light unfolding, and you understood, it made sense forever…

It was a sign of growing up, when the dark made no more difference to you than the day.

I jumped on Sinbads bottle. Nothing happened. I didnt do it again. Sometimes when nothing happened it was really getting ready to happen

Mary, said her mother. We dont like sarcasm You mightnt like it, said Mary. But I love it.

If you were going to be best friends with anyone - Kevin - you had to hate a lot of other people, the two of you, together. It made you better friends.

Do ghosts drink tea?They dont, said Tansey. But this ghost would love to see a cup of tea in front of her. Itd be lovely.

One day at a time, sweet Jesus. Whoever wrote that one hadn’t a clue. A day is a fuckin’ eternity

I was the ref. I was the ref they didn’t know about. Deaf and dumb. Invisible as a wall. I wanted no one to win

Schools dont really allow failure and yet its a valid part of any endeavour, not just writing.

When I started writing full time I had not long stopped being a teacher and when at last I had a full day to write, I would put music on and wonder to myself - am I allowed to do this? Then I thought: I am control of this and no one is telling me what I can do.

If you are a writer youre at home, which means youre out of touch. You have to make excuses to get out there and look at how the world is changing.