The scolding voice is her own, so abrasive and quick, yet so powerless to move her.

- Carol Shields

There are chapters in every life which are seldom read and certainly not aloud.

- Carol Shields

A woman's life isn't worth a plateful of cabbage if she hasn't felt life stir under her heart. Taking a little one to nurse, watching him grow to man…

- Carol Shields

It's hard work being a person, you have to do it every single day.

- Carol Shields

Why should men be allowed to strut under the privilege of their life adventures, wearing them like a breast full of medals, while women went all gray…

- Carol Shields

Open a book this minute and start reading. Don’t move until you’ve reached page fifty. Until you’ve buried your thoughts in print. Cover yourself wit…

- Carol Shields

These are frightening times...when she feels herself annointed by loneliness.

- Carol Shields

Anyone's childhood can be an act of disablement if rehearsed and replayed and squinted at in a certain light. . .

- Carol Shields

Words are our life. We are human because we use language. So I think we are less human when we use less language.

- Carol Shields