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35 Top Kingsley Amis Quotes To Keep You From Going Astray

Famous As: Novelist
Born On: April 16, 1922
Died On: October 22, 1995
Born In: Clapham, London, England
Died At Age: 73
Kingsley Amis was a renowned English novelist, poet and a teacher known for his versatile writing skills. After graduating from the renowned University of Oxford he served as a lecturer at the University of Wales Swansea. During this period he wrote his first novel which was believed to be an ideal book of 1950’s and turned out to be his most notable work. Kingsley has written on various genres including novels, short stories, science, and mystery and was known as the ‘master of every genre’. He wrote some more novels before his next notable work ‘Take A Girl Like You’ which nurtured his reputation and popularity as an author. He even wrote some successful novels on science and horror. His poems portrayed him as an atheist as they reflected his disdain towards God. During the late 1960’s he wrote James Bond novels which were well appreciated by the masses and during final years of his career he became an Anthologist and also wrote many poems and essays. The below collection of Kingsley Amis’s notable quotes and thoughts has been excerpted from his poems, novels, books, essays, writings and other work. Here is a collection of sayings and quotations by Kingsley Amis on cynicism, history, pessimism, atheism, sex, religion, feelings, misogyny, humor, superstitions and traditions.
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If you can't annoy somebody, there is little point in writing.

If you can't annoy somebody, there is little point in writing.

Kingsley Amis
Consciousness was upon him before he could get out of the way.

Consciousness was upon him before he could get out of the way.

Kingsley Amis
The rewards for being sane may not be very many, but knowing what's funny is one of them.

The rewards for being sane may not be very many, but knowing what's funny is one of them.

Kingsley Amis
Nice things are nicer than nasty ones.

Nice things are nicer than nasty ones.

Kingsley Amis
I'll pour you the first one and after that, if you don't have one, it's your own f****** fault. You know where it is.

I'll pour you the first one and after that, if you don't have one, it's your own f****** fault. You know where it is.

Kingsley Amis
Death has this much to be said for it:
You don't have to get out of bed for it.
Wherever you happen to be
They bring it to you—free.

Death has this much to be said for it: You don't have to get out of bed for it. Wherever you happen to be They bring it to you—free.

Kingsley Amis
Doing what you wanted to do was the only training, and the only preliminary, needed for doing more of what you wanted to do.

Doing what you wanted to do was the only training, and the only preliminary, needed for doing more of what you wanted to do.

Kingsley Amis
Only a world without love strikes me as instantly and decisively more terrible than one without music.

Only a world without love strikes me as instantly and decisively more terrible than one without music.

Kingsley Amis
One of the great benefits of organised religion is that you can be forgiven your sins, which must be a wonderful thing. . .I mean, I carry my sins around with me, there's nobody there to forgive them.

One of the great benefits of organised religion is that you can be forgiven your sins, which must be a wonderful thing. . .I mean, I carry my sins around with me, there's nobody there to forgive them.

Kingsley Amis
Laziness has become the chief characteristic of journalism, displacing incompetence.

Laziness has become the chief characteristic of journalism, displacing incompetence.

Kingsley Amis
Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life, a mark of the naive - or worse.

Never despise a drink because it is easy to make and/or uses commercial mixes. Unquestioning devotion to authenticity is, in any department of life, a mark of the naive - or worse.

Kingsley Amis
Yevgeny Yevtushenko: 'You atheist?'

Yevgeny Yevtushenko: 'You atheist?' "Kingsley Amis: 'Well, yes, but it's more that I hate him.

Kingsley Amis
He thought how much he liked her and had in common with her, and how much she'd like and have in common with him if she only knew him.

He thought how much he liked her and had in common with her, and how much she'd like and have in common with him if she only knew him.

Kingsley Amis
It is no wonder that people are so horrible when they start their life as children.

It is no wonder that people are so horrible when they start their life as children.

Kingsley Amis
He was of the faith chiefly in the sense that the church he currently did not attend was Catholic.

He was of the faith chiefly in the sense that the church he currently did not attend was Catholic.

Kingsley Amis
Cited by the author of 'Lucky Jim' as one of the most dismal depressing questions in the English language:

Cited by the author of 'Lucky Jim' as one of the most dismal depressing questions in the English language: "Shall we go straight in?

Kingsley Amis
It is natural and harmless in English to use a preposition to end a sentence with.

It is natural and harmless in English to use a preposition to end a sentence with.

Kingsley Amis
Education is one thing and instruction, however worthy, necessary and incidentally or monetarily educative, another.

Education is one thing and instruction, however worthy, necessary and incidentally or monetarily educative, another.

Kingsley Amis
There was no excuse which didn't consist of inexcusable.

There was no excuse which didn't consist of inexcusable.

Kingsley Amis
When the bishop farted we were amused to hear about it. Should the ploughboy find treasure we must be told. But when the ploughboy farts... er... keep it to yourself.

When the bishop farted we were amused to hear about it. Should the ploughboy find treasure we must be told. But when the ploughboy farts... er... keep it to yourself.

Kingsley Amis
It was a perfect title, in that it crystallized the article's niggling mindlessness, its funeral parade of yawn-enforcing facts, the pseudo-light it threw upon non-problems.

It was a perfect title, in that it crystallized the article's niggling mindlessness, its funeral parade of yawn-enforcing facts, the pseudo-light it threw upon non-problems.

Kingsley Amis
I am always incorrigibly interested in the behaviour of the 'human animal', and look forward to perusing divers effusions of your lively pen.

I am always incorrigibly interested in the behaviour of the 'human animal', and look forward to perusing divers effusions of your lively pen.

Kingsley Amis
For the first time he really felt that it was no use trying to save those who fundamentally would rather not be saved.

For the first time he really felt that it was no use trying to save those who fundamentally would rather not be saved.

Kingsley Amis
It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.

It's never pleasant to have one's unquestioning beliefs put in their historical context, as I know from experience, I can assure you.

Kingsley Amis
Wives and such are constantly filling up any refrigerator they have a claim on, even its ice-compartment, with irrelevant rubbish like food.

Wives and such are constantly filling up any refrigerator they have a claim on, even its ice-compartment, with irrelevant rubbish like food.

Kingsley Amis
...he could sense her breathing, her temple against his jaw and her shoulder under his hand were warm, her hair smelt of well-brushed hair, he could feel the presence of her body...

...he could sense her breathing, her temple against his jaw and her shoulder under his hand were warm, her hair smelt of well-brushed hair, he could feel the presence of her body...

Kingsley Amis
SF's NO GOOD!
They bellow 'til we're deaf
But =this= is good
Well, then, it's not SF!

SF's NO GOOD! They bellow 'til we're deaf But =this= is good Well, then, it's not SF!

Kingsley Amis
The real trouble with liars ... was that there could never be any guarantee against their occasionally telling the truth.

The real trouble with liars ... was that there could never be any guarantee against their occasionally telling the truth.

Kingsley Amis
A German wine label is one of the things life’s too short for.

A German wine label is one of the things life’s too short for.

Kingsley Amis
If you want to behave better and feel better, the only absolutely certain method is drinking less. But to find out how to do that, you will have to find a more expert expert than I shall ever be.

If you want to behave better and feel better, the only absolutely certain method is drinking less. But to find out how to do that, you will have to find a more expert expert than I shall ever be.

Kingsley Amis