Poul Anderson
Poul Anderson (1926–2001) was an American science fiction and fantasy author, known for Tau Zero, The Broken Sword and the Time Patrol stories.
5 quotes in this collection. Read them below, share your favourites, or follow the related links to explore similar voices.
All quotes by Poul Anderson
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“She seldom bothered taking revenge. Time did that for her, eventually.”
Meaning: In his 1989 novel, a long-lived character learns that patience often resolves grudges better than effort does. Time wears down arrogance and unfairness alike. Next time you feel pulled into a petty fight, step back, let a few days pass, and see what remains. -
“Know that against time the gods themselves are powerless.”
Meaning: In his Time Patrol tales, travelers learn that even the strongest beings cannot undo what has happened. Anderson uses myth to say time cannot be bargained with. In everyday life, it nudges you to spend your hours on what matters instead of hoping for extras. -
“Who can make a medicine against time?”
Meaning: A character in Anderson's 1989 novel about people who live for thousands of years asks this, admitting that aging has no cure. The question invites acceptance of limits. Rather than chasing endless productivity, decide what deserves your finite energy this week and let the rest go. -
“Time went on, relentlessly, and one by one the proud works of man were lost.”
Meaning: From a 1955 novel set in a far future, this sentence shows empires and achievements fading with the years. It is humbling rather than bleak. Apply it by investing in relationships and habits that last, not only in status symbols that will not. -
“Time is the bridge that always burns behind us.”
Meaning: This line from a 1960 science fiction story pictures each moment as a bridge destroyed once crossed, so there is no going back. Anderson was born 100 years ago this month. Use it to stop postponing: choose one thing you keep delaying and begin it today.