In real life, coincidences happen all the time. In novels, they are leapt upon with fury.
Harlan CobenRead
The ugliest truth, in the end, was still better than the prettiest of lies.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Truth, no matter how unpleasant, is preferable to falsehoods that seem appealing.
This quote emphasizes the importance of valuing truth over deception, suggesting that even harsh realities are more beneficial than comforting lies. It highlights the idea that facing the truth, no matter how difficult, leads to greater integrity and understanding than embracing untruths that may provide temporary solace but ultimately lead to harm or disappointment.
Themes
TruthLiesHonestyWisdomIntegrity
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about honesty in business.
More from Harlan Coben
All quotes →When you like something and you're pretty good at it and you can make a living doing it, you don't ask why. You just count your blessings and go with it.
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No, I don’t live in heartache. I don’t cry myself to sleep or any of that. I am, I tell myself, over it. But I do feel a void, icky as that sounds. And—like it or not—I still think about her every single day.
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Life may not always fall into neat chapters, and you may not always get the satisfying ending you're looking for, but sometimes a good explanation is all the rewrite you need.
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The most annoying and full- of- crap thing a writer says is, I write only for myself, I don't care if anyone reads it. A writer without a reader doesn't exist.
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There's always a price you pay when you lie. Once you introduce a lie into a relationship, even for the best of intentions, it is always there. Whenever you’re with that person again, that lie is in the room too. It sits on your shoulder. Good lie or bad lie, it's in the room with you forever now. It's your constant companion.
Harlan CobenRead
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