Mark Twain

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.

—Mark Twain

Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it.

—Mark Twain

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

—Mark Twain

′Classic′ – a book which people praise and don’t read.

—Mark Twain

God created war so that Americans would learn geography.

—Mark Twain

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.

—Mark Twain

Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.

—Mark Twain

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

—Mark Twain

Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.

—Mark Twain

Books are for people who wish they were somewhere else.

—Mark Twain

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).

—Mark Twain

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.

—Mark Twain

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.

—Mark Twain

I did not attend his funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.

—Mark Twain

If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.

—Mark Twain

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.

—Mark Twain

Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other.

—Mark Twain

Keep away from 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.

—Mark Twain

Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.

—Mark Twain

Don’t part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.

—Mark Twain

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

—Mark Twain

What would men be without women? Scarce, sir…mighty scarce.

—Mark Twain

Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.

—Mark Twain

The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.

—Mark Twain

Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.

—Mark Twain

Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

—Mark Twain

Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.

—Mark Twain

Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.

—Mark Twain

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

—Mark Twain

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.

—Mark Twain