P. D. James Quotes

A collection of quotes by P. D. James.

Phyllis Dorothy James, commonly known as P. D. James, was a prominent British author, born on August 3, 1920, in Oxford, England. She was renowned for her detective novels and is considered one of the most distinguished crime writers of the 20th century.

James began her writing career in the 1960s, and her first novel, "Cover Her Face" (1962), introduced the character of Adam Dalgliesh, a detective who featured in many of her subsequent works. Her novels were known for their intricate plots, atmospheric settings, and psychologically complex characters. She presented her readers with intelligent and thought-provoking mysteries that explored the darkness of both human nature and society.

In addition to her successful career as a novelist, James served as a governor of the BBC, was a magistrate, and worked in the British Home Office's criminal policy department. This background lent authenticity and depth to her crime novels, often grounding them in a realistic and believable context.

Over the course of her career, P. D. James penned numerous acclaimed works, including "Death of an Expert Witness," "Devices and Desires," and "The Children of Men." Her novels have been translated into multiple languages and adapted for television and film.

P. D. James's contributions to the crime fiction genre earned her numerous accolades, such as the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award and the Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers' Association. She passed away on November 27, 2014, leaving behind a legacy of gripping mysteries that continue to captivate readers worldwide.

There comes a time when every scientist, even God, has to wr

There comes a time when every scientist, even God, has to write off an experiment.

P. D. James

Science

No one has it who isn't capable of genuinely liking others,

No one has it who isn't capable of genuinely liking others, at least at the actual moment of meeting and speaking. Charm is always genuine; it may be superficial but it isn't false.

P. D. James

Charisma

I find it extraordinary that a straightforward if inelegant

I find it extraordinary that a straightforward if inelegant device for ensuring the survival of the species should involve human beings in such emotional turmoil. Does sex have to be taken so seriously?

P. D. James

Sex

Great literature cannot grow from a neglected or impoverishe

Great literature cannot grow from a neglected or impoverished soil. Only if we actually tend or care will it transpire that every hundred years or so we might get a Middlemarch.

P. D. James

Books

God gives every bird his worm, but He does not throw it into

God gives every bird his worm, but He does not throw it into the nest.

P. D. James

Effort

A man who lives with nature is used to violence and is compa

A man who lives with nature is used to violence and is companionable with death. There is more violence in an English hedgerow than in the meanest streets of a great city.

P. D. James

Nature

I believe that political correctness can be a form of lingui

I believe that political correctness can be a form of linguistic fascism, and it sends shivers down the spine of my generation who went to war against fascism.

P. D. James

War

It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occu

It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life.

P. D. James

Nature