Quotes From "A Civil Campaign" By Lois McMaster Bujold

When you give each other everything, it becomes an even trade. Each wins all. Lois McMaster Bujold

You don't pay back your parents. You can't. The debt you owe them gets collected by your children, who hand it down in turn. It's a sort of entailment. Or if you don't have children of the body, it's left as a debt to your common humanity. Or to your God, if you possess or are possessed by one. The family economy evades calculation in the gross planetary product. It's the only deal I know where, when you give more than you get, you aren't bankrupted - but rather, vastly enriched. Lois McMaster Bujold

You? I know you! You trust beyond reason." She met his eyes steadily. "Yes. It's how I get results beyond hope. As you may recall. Lois McMaster Bujold

You want to be good. All right, I can understand that. But you have to be careful who you let define your good. Lois McMaster Bujold

Honesty is the only way with anyone, when you’ll be so close as to be living inside each other’s skins. Lois McMaster Bujold

Not that I haven't leaped up into the blinding light of competence now and then. It's sustaining the altitude that defeats me. Lois McMaster Bujold

For your fourth consoling thought, I would point out that in this venue, " a wave of his finger took in Vorbarr Sultana, and by extension Barrayar, "acquiring a reputation as a slick and dangerous man, who would kill without compunction to obtain and protect his own, is not all bad. In fact, you might even find it useful."" Useful! Have you found the name of the Butcher of Komarr a handy prop, then, sir?" Miles said indignantly. His father's eyes narrowed, partly in grim amusement, partly in appreciation. "I've found it a mixed. . damnation. Lois McMaster Bujold

Everyone has their folding-point, Miles. Their mortal vulnerability. Some just keep it in a nonstandard location. Lois McMaster Bujold

There's something to that in both directions, " said Ekaterin mildly. "Nothing is more guaranteed to make one start acting like a child than to be treated like one. It's so infuriating. It took me the longest time to figure out how to stop falling into that trap."" Yes, exactly, " said Kareen eagerly. "You understand! So–how did you make them stop?"" You can't make them–whoever your particular them is–do anything, really, " said Ekaterin slowly. "Adulthood isn't an award they'll give you for being a good child. You can waste . . years, trying to get someone to give that respect to you, as though it were a sort of promotion or raise in pay. If only you do enough, if only you are good enough. No. You have to just . take it. Give it to yourself, I suppose. Say, I'm sorry you feel like that, and walk away. But that's hard. Lois McMaster Bujold

I miss it every minute, and I have no wish at all to go back. Lois McMaster Bujold

I wanted to give you a victory. But by their essential nature triumphs can’t be given. Lois McMaster Bujold