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Were Quotes

Looking back at what was.

This page collects quotes that look backward - one traveler recalling how ordinary tea shops became a favorite haunt abroad, another speaker arguing that drug use is a symptom of deeper trouble rather than the root cause. Readers who like reflective phrasing may also enjoy Family.

If there were genders to genres, fiction would be unquestionably feminine.

Quotes by William H. Gass

The longer we were in it, the smaller it seemed to get.

Quotes by William Beebe

All the 20th we were endeavouring to get into Adventure Bay but were prevented by variable winds.

Quotes by William Bligh

As a bookish adolescent, I sopped up texts as if I were blotting paper and they were fluid.

Quotes by Will Self

If there were a science of human beings it would be anthropology that aims at understanding the totality of experience through structural context.

Quotes by Wilhelm Dilthey

As in all his subsequent dealings with France, Ho Chi Minh's demands were a model of modesty.

Quotes by Wilfred Burchett

If I were not French I would choose to be - Scotch.

Quotes by Wilfrid Laurier

Drugs, were a symptom - they weren't the cause of anything.

Quotes by Wayne Kramer

They were targeting those people I referred to as 'little Eichmanns.' These were legitimate targets.

Quotes by Ward Churchill

Scripture suggests that the elements in space were created for the benefit of earth, while evolution suggests that earth is an insignificant speck in vast space.

Quotes by Walter Lang

We spent a lot of time in simulators. We were going to do it right.

Quotes by Wally Schirra

My first computers were a Timex Sinclair and an Apple II.

Quotes by Walt Mossberg

I'm a Cubs fan. As a kid, the Cubs were my team.

Quotes by Vince Vaughn

For most of my career, I've played roles that were written for other actresses.

Quotes by Victoria Abril

I wish it were not a sin to have liked it so.

Quotes by Veronica Franco

We were not allowed to say, Screw, but we could say, Hump the hostess, because hump is in Shakespeare.

Quotes by Uta Hagen

My first climb was on lead; there were pitons, no bolts.

Quotes by Ueli Steck

My grandparents were always farmers.

Quotes by Travis Fimmel

The Ramones were inspiring a lot of bands that couldn't master their instruments.

Quotes by Tommy Ramone

A lot of my friends were fooling around with drugs then.

Quotes by Tommy Rettig

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a quote about tea-shops in England?
Yes, one quote reads, "Tea-shops were to become my favourite haunts in England," describing a personal fondness for a place.
Does a quote say drugs "were" a symptom rather than a cause?
Yes. One quote gives this as its own stated view: "Drugs, were a symptom - they weren't the cause of anything."
Is there a quote about people longing to return somewhere?
Yes, one quote reads, "I was informed... that some... were dreaming and wished to return."
Is there a controversial quote using the word "were" about targets?
One sample quote is a real but sharply controversial historical statement in which the speaker describes certain people as "little Eichmanns" and calls them "legitimate targets." This page presents it strictly as that specific speaker's own controversial characterization of events -- not as fact, and not as a view this page endorses or takes a side on.
Where can I find quotes about family or first experiences?
See the Family or First collections.

A quieter entry touches on people who were dreaming of home and hoping to return, a theme of longing that runs through much of this set. For more nostalgic or memory-driven pages, browse First or Because.