LouisFerdinand Celine Quotes

A collection of quotes by LouisFerdinand Celine.

Louis-Ferdinand Celine (1894-1961) was a French writer and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential and controversial figures in 20th-century literature. He is best known for his novel "Journey to the End of the Night" (1932), which exemplified his innovative use of literary techniques and his disillusionment with humanity. Celine's writing style, characterized by its fragmented narrative and dark humor, had a profound impact on later generations of writers. Despite his literary success, Celine's sympathies with fascism and his anti-Semitic views tarnished his reputation and led to his prosecution after World War II.

One can't relive one's life. Forgiveness is not what's diffi

One can't relive one's life. Forgiveness is not what's difficult; one's always too ready to forgive. And it does no good, that's obvious.

LouisFerdinand Celine


With two thousand years of Christianity behind him... a man

With two thousand years of Christianity behind him... a man can't see a regiment of soldiers march past without going off the deep end. It starts off far too many ideas in his head.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Christianity

Never believe straight off in a man's unhappiness. Ask him i

Never believe straight off in a man's unhappiness. Ask him if he can still sleep. If the answer's yes, all's well. That is enough.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Sadness

Love, Arthur, is a poodle's chance of attaining the infinite

Love, Arthur, is a poodle's chance of attaining the infinite, and personally I have my pride.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Love

There's a point of poverty at which the spirit isn't with th

There's a point of poverty at which the spirit isn't with the body all the time. It finds the body really too unbearable. So it's almost as if you were talking to the soul itself. And a soul's not properly responsible.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Poverty

To hell with reality! I want to die in music, not in reason

To hell with reality! I want to die in music, not in reason or in prose. People don't deserve the restraint we show by not going into delirium in front of them. To hell with them!

LouisFerdinand Celine

Reality

When you're not used to comfort and good things to eat, you'

When you're not used to comfort and good things to eat, you're intoxicated by them in no time. Truth's only too pleased to leave you. Very little is ever needed for Truth to let go of you. And after all, you're not really very keen to keep hold of it.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Wealth

We've no use for intellectuals in this outfit. What we need

We've no use for intellectuals in this outfit. What we need is chimpanzees. Let me give you a word of advice: never say a word to us about being intelligent. We will think for you, my friend. Don't forget it.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Labor

Life is filigree work. What is written clearly is not worth

Life is filigree work. What is written clearly is not worth much, it's the transparency that counts.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Life

This instinctive repulsion which tradespeople inspire in men

This instinctive repulsion which tradespeople inspire in men of sensitive feeling is one of the very rare consolations for being so impoverished which are given to those of us who don't sell anything to anybody.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Trade (import / Export)

To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and lead

To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Philosophy

The whole business of your life overwhelms you when you live

The whole business of your life overwhelms you when you live alone. One's stupefied by it. To get rid of it you try to daub some of it off on to people who come to see you, and they hate that. To be alone trains one for death.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Solitude

Even diseases have lost their prestige, there aren't so many

Even diseases have lost their prestige, there aren't so many of them left. Think it over... no more syphilis, no more clap, no more typhoid... antibiotics have taken half the tragedy out of medicine.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Advice

Almost every desire a poor man has is a punishable offence.

Almost every desire a poor man has is a punishable offence.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Desires

Experience is a dim lamp, which only lights the one who bear

Experience is a dim lamp, which only lights the one who bears it.

LouisFerdinand Celine

Experience