Hemingway, the iconic American author, has left an indelible mark on literature with his unique writing style, characterized by minimalism and implicit depth. His quotes reflect a blend of insight, existential questioning, and profound understanding of the human condition. In this collection, we delve into the themes that Hemingway so masterfully captured. From musings on life, love, and courage, to reflections on nature, travel, and writing, each quote invites introspection and evokes a breath of timeless wisdom. Whether you're seeking inspiration or solace, Hemingway's words resonate with a compelling simplicity, speaking to the truths that connect us all.
Quotes on Life
"Life isn’t hard to manage when you have nothing to lose."
"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places."
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."
"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."
"Never confuse movement with action."
"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them."
"The shortest answer is doing the thing."
"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
"To write is to remember, and to remember is to live."
"A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
"In order to write about life first you must live it."
"About morals, I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after."
Quotes on Love
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime."
"If two people love each other there can be no happy end to it."
"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it."
"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."
"You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another."
"I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?"
"The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too."
"Write hard and clear about what hurts."
"All things truly wicked start from innocence."
"When you love you wish to do things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve."
"I can’t stand it to think my life is going so fast and I’m not really living it."
"You know what makes a universal soldier, don't you? It's not the gold badge or the polish of the uniform. It's the love of his country that he wears near his heart, having nothing to do with the color of his skin, or the name he answers to."
Quotes on Courage
"Courage is grace under pressure."
"But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places."
"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
"I know now that there is no one thing that is true – it is all true."
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
"People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself."
"The first and final thing you have to do in this world is to last it and not be smashed by it."
"You’re beautiful, like a May fly."
"The shortest answer is doing the thing."
"I was always a lonely person. Be that as it may, I have been happy alone."
Quotes on Nature
"The earth is a fine place and worth fighting for."
"It's silly not to hope. It’s a sin he thought."
"We are all broken—that’s how the light gets in."
"But man is not made for defeat...a man can be destroyed but not defeated."
"Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is."
"In every port in the world, at least two Estonians can be found."
"A man’s got to take a lot of punishment to write a really funny book."
"Being against evil doesn’t make you good."
"The first and final thing you have to do in this world is to last it and not be smashed by it."
"I wake up in the morning and my mind starts making sentences, and I have to get rid of them fast - talk them or write them down."
"There’s no one thing that’s true. It’s all true."
"All my life I've looked at words as though I were seeing them for the first time."
Quotes on Writing
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."
"All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know."
"The hard part about writing a novel is finishing it."
"When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature."
"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way."
"In order to write about life, first you must live it."
"As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand."
"The first draft of anything is shit."
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."
"Writing, at its best, is a lonely life."
"There’s no rule on how it is to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it’s like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges."
"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
Quotes on Travel
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
"Paris was a very old city and we were young and nothing was simple there, not even poverty, nor sudden money, nor the moonlight, nor right and wrong nor the breathing of someone who lay beside you in the moonlight."
"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it."
"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love."
"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
"I’m not brave any more darling. I’m all broken. They’ve broken me."
"A good café on La Place St. Michel, had to be written about."
"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."
"To hell with them. Nothing hurts if you don't let it."
"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."
"Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the romance of the unusual."
"There’s no one thing that’s true. It’s all true."
Quotes on Strength
"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places."
"But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
"All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know."
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way."
"Courage is grace under pressure."
"Forget your personal tragedy. We are all bitched from the start and you especially have to be hurt like hell before you can write seriously. But when you get the damned hurt use it- don't cheat with it."
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."
"The first draft of anything is shit."
"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it."
"The first and final thing you have to do in this world is to last it and not be smashed by it."
Quotes on Friendship
"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
"I would rather have a feast with friends than drink and argue with the sophisticated world."
"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it."
"You know what makes a universal soldier, don't you? It's not the gold badge or the polish of the uniform. It's the love of his country that he wears near his heart, having nothing to do with the color of his skin, or the name he answers to."
"Stay away from the people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love."
"I wake up in the morning and my mind starts making sentences, and I have to get rid of them fast - talk them or write them down."
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."
"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way."
"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
"The hard part about writing a novel is finishing it."
Quotes on Time
"You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering."
"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
"Life isn't hard to manage when you have nothing to lose."
"A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
"There is no need to drink your life away. Live it."
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."
"You are so brave and quiet I forget you are suffering."
"All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know."
"Forget your personal tragedy. We are all bitched from the start and you especially have to be hurt like hell before you can write seriously. But when you get the damned hurt use it- don't cheat with it."
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."
"The first draft of anything is shit."
"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way."
Quotes on Happiness
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."
"There’s no one thing that’s true. It’s all true."
"The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it."
"All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know."
"You know what makes a universal soldier, don't you? It's not the gold badge or the polish of the uniform. It's the love of his country that he wears near his heart, having nothing to do with the color of his skin, or the name he answers to."
"Forget your personal tragedy. We are all bitched from the start and you especially have to be hurt like hell before you can write seriously. But when you get the damned hurt use it- don't cheat with it."
"There is no need to drink your life away. Live it."
"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love."
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way."
"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."
Final words
Hemingway’s profound observations across various facets of life—whether it be love, strength, courage, or happiness—continue to resonate with readers across generations. His ability to articulate the complexities of human existence with straightforward yet evocative prose has solidified his status as a literary icon. He reminds us that life’s struggles and triumphs are universal experiences that bind us. The timeless nature of Hemingway’s work ensures that his words remain a beacon of wisdom and inspiration. As you reflect on these quotes, may you find both comfort in shared human experiences and motivation to live each day fully.
