«The roses rushed to bloom in her cheeks.»

The Glassblower's Children, Maria Gripe, first published in 1964

bonjour tristesse

«Then something rises in me that I welcome by name, with closed eyes: Bonjour tristesse!»

Bonjour Tristesse, Françoise Sagan, first published in 1954

«evelyn waugh was a man»

«All this fuss about sleeping together. For physical pleasure I'd sooner go to my dentist any day.»

Vile Bodies, Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1930

cover girl #1

«Queen Victoria had a little trouble with the bladder, you see. When she went to stay at Balmoral in her latter years a number of privies were caused to be built at the backs of little cottages which had not previously possessed privies. This was to enable the Queen to go on her morning drive round the contryside in comfort, and to descend from her carriage from time to time, ostensibly to visit the humble cottagers in their dwellings. Eventually, word went round that Queen Victoria was exceedingly democratic. Of course it was all due to her little weakness. But everyone copied the Queen and the idea spread, and now you see we have a great democracy.»

Memento Mori, Muriel Spark, first published in 1959