Clergyman's

It was a way of not thinking - to concentrate on her surroundings. If she stared at things, then it helped block out stuff.
- Bernard MacLaverty

He succeeded in persuading her back to look at The Jewish Bride.
There was a crowd gathered around it. It was huge, big as a hoarding, a great slash of browns and yellows and reds. Two figures, a man and a woman on the edge of intimacy, or perhaps just after, about to coorie in to one another. Hands. Hands everywhere. A painting about touch. Stella joined the crowd and wormed her way to the front. Gerry watched her bite her lip as she gazed. She became aware of Gerry watching her. He excused himself and threaded his way to her side.
""Well?""
""There's a great tenderness in him,"" she said. ""You can see he cherishes her.""
""Look at that big hand of his,"" Gerry said. ""And the sleeve. Like a big croissant. The way he's put the paint on.""
""And the faces,"" she said. ""But she's not so sure. Shy, yes. Sure, no. What sumptuous clothes."" She pointed out the groom's hand around the woman's shoulder and his other hand resting on her breast. The bride's touch of the groom's hand.
- Bernard MacLaverty

I come from the kind of house where if my father saw me with a book in my hand he'd say, ""Can you not find something better to do?
- Bernard MacLaverty

I come from the kind of house where if my father saw me with a book in my hand he'd say, ""Can you not find something better to do?
- Bernard MacLaverty

Bitter?"" said the barmaid and he nodded. What a strange thing to call a drink. Bitter. Aloes. Sorrow. For something that was supposed to make you feel happy.
- Bernard MacLaverty

There's nobody can fix this but yourself. You are the only one who can make the changes.
- Bernard MacLaverty

There's nobody can fix this but yourself. You are the only one who can make the changes.
- Bernard MacLaverty

If you have a war on your hands you send for the Mr Crillys of this world. The hard men and the bandits are the real revolutionaries, if you see what I mean. They get things done, they punch the hole for us to get through later.
- Bernard MacLaverty

She found a large and classy department store. Like any other city, Amsterdam was full of shops which sold things that nobody wanted. Or the kind of things some people wanted but nobody needed.
- Bernard MacLaverty

The individual matters,"" said Mrs Gallagher.
- Bernard MacLaverty