Mary Wesley Quotes

A collection of quotes by Mary Wesley.

Mary Wesley (1912-2002) was an English author known for her witty and insightful novels. Born Mary Aline Mynors Farmar in Berkshire, England, she had a rather unconventional life. After her father died during World War I, she and her mother traveled extensively, living in exotic locations such as India and colonial Africa.

Wesley's writing career started later in life, and at the age of 70, she published her first novel, "Jumping the Queue" in 1983. This debut was followed by a string of critically acclaimed novels that often explored themes of love, loss, and the complex dynamics of family relationships. Some of her best-known works include "The Camomile Lawn," "Not That Sort of Girl," and "The Vacillations of Poppy Carew."

Wesley's writing was characterized by her sharp wit, descriptive prose, and her ability to create intricate and believable characters, often drawing from her own life experiences. Her novels featured complex female protagonists and delved into controversial subjects, making her an influential figure in contemporary literature.

Despite achieving considerable success and recognition as an author, Wesley was known for her modesty and reclusiveness. She rarely gave interviews and preferred to live a quiet life in the English countryside.

Mary Wesley's novels continue to be celebrated for their engaging storytelling and perceptive examination of human nature. She left behind an esteemed literary legacy, with her works consistently being regarded as modern classics.

Twenty years ago, I was living in a lovely cottage on the ed

Twenty years ago, I was living in a lovely cottage on the edge of Dartmoor but I couldn't afford to run a car.

Imagination which comes into play in falling in love is diff

Imagination which comes into play in falling in love is different from any other. Certainly in my case, and I've fallen in love all my life, one imagines the person to be as you want them to be. They frequently turn out to be someone different, for better or worse.

I remember the evacuee children from towns and cities throwi

I remember the evacuee children from towns and cities throwing stones at the farm animals. When we explained that if you did that you wouldn't have any milk, meat or eggs, they soon learned to respect the animals.

My father was a soldier and my mother was a great mover. She

My father was a soldier and my mother was a great mover. She once counted up how many places she had lived in during the first 25 years of her marriage and it came to 20.

Marriage

That image of the countryside being a threatening place stil

That image of the countryside being a threatening place still exists. People continue to resist the challenge of learning about aspects of life they don't understand.

Learning

We're all like children. We may think we grow up, but to me,

We're all like children. We may think we grow up, but to me, being grown up is death, stopping thinking, trying to find out things, going on learning.

Learning

I have deliberately left Sylvester and Julia's appearances t

I have deliberately left Sylvester and Julia's appearances to the reader's imagination.

Imagination

I think Chinese leadership is trying to tell the world they

I think Chinese leadership is trying to tell the world they have another set of logic or reasoning or values which are different from yours. Of course, I don't think they believe that. It's just an argument that's made when you can't confront the truth and facts. They really want to maintain power.

Deception/lying

Women's courage is rather different from men's. The fact tha

Women's courage is rather different from men's. The fact that women have to bring up children and look after husbands makes them braver at facing long-term issues, such as illness. Men are more immediately courageous. Lots of people are brave in battle.

Courage

People try much less hard to make a marriage work than they

People try much less hard to make a marriage work than they used to fifty years ago. Divorce is easier.

Marriage

I was sent to a finishing school, which didn't last long whe

I was sent to a finishing school, which didn't last long when mother found out how badly chaperoned we were. Then I 'came out' before going to a domestic science school.

Science