Quotes by Kazuo Ishiguro

At times it was almost as it had been years ago, when on a sunny day the family would sit there together exchanging relaxed, often vacuous talk.

An artist's concern is to capture beauty wherever he finds it.

Poor creatures. What did we do to you? With all our schemes and plans?

It had never occurred to me that our lives, which had been so closely interwoven, could unravel with such speed.

If you are under the impression you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of.

There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.

I half closed my eyes and imagined this was the spot where everything I'd ever lost since my childhood had washed up, and I was now standing here in front of it, and if I waited long enough, a tiny figure would appear on the horizon across the field and g

Zeal and duty are not always aligned.

You are the architect of your own destiny.

X marks the spot where our memories are buried.

The past is never dead. It’s not even past.

Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.

Remembrance is the foundation of identity.

Past experiences shape our present perceptions.

Only love can break your heart.

No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of worry can change the future.

Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.

Life is a series of memories we stitch together.

Knowing love is like touching a star.

Just because it’s over doesn’t mean it wasn’t real.

In love, there are no boundaries.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

Growth is the only evidence of life.

From our memories, we create our realities.

Even if I forget everything else, I will always remember you.

Dreams are the touchstones of our character.

Before you can understand the present, you must first understand the past.

A heart full of love is a heart full of joy.

Zigzagging through memories is a way to make sense of life.

You can’t change the world, but you can change how you live in it.

Xenophobia is cured by exposure.

We loved with a love that was more than love.

Visions of the past can be comforting or haunting.

Time heals all wounds, but memories keep them fresh.

Some people search their whole lives to find what I found in you.

Recollections are the shadows of our experiences.

Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace.

People change, but memories remain.

One true love is enough for a lifetime.

Never forget the hands that raised you.

Man is the measure of all things.

Lives are lived forward but understood backward.

Journeys end in lovers meeting.

In our hearts, we all yearn for a great love story.

How we remember shapes how we live.

Forgetfulness is a blessing and a curse.

Every moment of love is an eternity in itself.

But we can’t let the past control our future.

A love that is sure is a love that endures.

Zeal without knowledge is like a ship without a compass.

X-rays of the heart reveal the truth of our experiences.

What is essential is invisible to the eye.

Vivid memories often carry the weight of years.

Understanding begins with listening.

The things we remember are the things that define us.

Remembering is an act of bravery.

Question everything, especially your own beliefs.

Past is prologue.

Only the heart sees clearly.

Nostalgia is a seductive liar.

Maturity is understanding that everyone is imperfect.

Love and memory are intertwined.

Kisses are a better fate than wisdom.

Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

In the end, we all become stories.

History is written by the survivors.

Growing up is realizing how little you know.

Fragments of memory are all we have left.

Even in the silence, our love speaks volumes.

Dreams are the key to our hidden past.

Change is the only constant, and that is our salvation.

A gentle heart is tied with an easy thread.

Zipping through old memories is like flipping through a dusty book.

You have to understand the past to embrace the future.

Xenophilia is rare, but sometimes the heart surprises.

We can’t change the past, but we can choose how to live with it.

Valued friendship cannot be underestimated.

Uncertainty is the root of all fear.

There’s something to be said for holding back, keeping quiet, being dignified.

She found herself trying to remember all the things they’d done together, but it was as if the memories were slipping away.

Remember, it was a game. That’s what they always said.

Quietly, for the first time, he whispered the words he’d always wanted to say.

People are at their most tiresome when they talk about their own experiences.

One is not born, but rather becomes, a human.

No one forgets the truth; they just get better at lying.

Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly.

Life is memory, and memory is life.

Knowing everything is part of love.

Just as memories are a blend of fact and fiction, so too is the history we share.

I can’t help feeling a little jealous of all the things that passed me by.

He loved her for almost everything she was and she decided that was enough to let him stay for a very long time.

Go there and remember, my friend.

For a long time, I kept asking myself what love meant.

Even though I can’t remember my past, I feel as if I’ve known you all my life.

Do you think something can be sacred even if it is only remembered?

Come to think of it, that was my most vivid memory.

But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.

All children have to be deceived if they are to grow up without trauma.

After all, what can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished?

We create our memories. Our brains are not tape recorders. We are constantly editing, interpreting, adding and subtracting details.