Jonathan Kellerman Quotes

Powerful Jonathan Kellerman for Daily Growth

About Jonathan Kellerman

Jonathan Kellerman, born on October 11, 1949, is an eminent American author, best known for his psychological thriller novels. He was born in New York City but spent most of his formative years in Los Angeles, California, where he would later set many of his works. Kellerman's interest in psychology began at an early age, influenced by his father, a psychologist and psychoanalyst, and his mother, a teacher turned Hollywood scriptwriter. This familial influence led Kellerman to study Psychology at Bishop College (now University of California, Santa Cruz), where he graduated with honors in 1974. Kellerman's literary career started in the late 1970s when he published several non-fiction works on psychology. His first foray into fiction was the novel 'Whom the Gods ADORE', published in 1985, which introduced the character Alex Delaware. The book marked the beginning of a successful series that would span over thirty books and solidify Kellerman's place among crime fiction greats. In 1988, Kellerman created another iconic character, Milo Sturgis, a homicide detective who appears in the 'The Bosch Files' series. This series includes the highly acclaimed novel 'The Conspiracy of Bones', which was adapted into an Amazon Prime Video series titled 'Bosch'. Throughout his career, Kellerman has won numerous awards, including the Goldwyn Edgar Award and the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel. His books have been translated into over forty languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Kellerman continues to write, combining his background in psychology with gripping storytelling, making him a beloved author among mystery and thriller readers.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The human brain is a very noisy organ. It's incredibly complex and messy."

This quote emphasizes that human brains are intricate, chaotic, and full of activity. It signifies that the mind is not a simple or straightforward system, but instead, a complex, dynamic entity. The "noise" refers to thoughts, emotions, memories, and other mental processes happening concurrently, making our thought patterns seemingly disordered at times. In essence, this quote captures the essence of human complexity and the often chaotic nature of our thought processes.


"There's a difference between cleverness and wisdom: wise people act on clever ideas."

This quote emphasizes that while having clever or intellectually sound ideas is important, true wisdom lies in the application of those ideas. Cleverness alone does not equate to wisdom; it's when we put smart thoughts into action that demonstrates our understanding and maturity. Wisdom is the ability to discern between what should be done and what can be done.


"Everyone lies. That's how we protect ourselves. We hide the things that hurt too much to share, the things that might break us if anyone else knew."

This quote emphasizes human nature's inherent need for self-preservation and emotional protection. The author suggests that lying is a common coping mechanism used by individuals to shield themselves from potential pain or vulnerability, particularly when sharing sensitive information that could cause emotional harm. It highlights the complexity of human relationships, where honesty can sometimes feel too risky or uncomfortable, and people may choose to conceal their true feelings or experiences instead.


"When you play with fire, you get burned."

This quote emphasizes that actions have consequences, especially when they involve risky or dangerous activities like "playing with fire." It's a cautionary reminder that engaging in harmful, irresponsible, or impulsive behaviors can lead to negative outcomes or injuries. It encourages prudence and forethought in our decisions and actions, urging us to consider potential repercussions before we act.


"The mind is a terrible thing to waste, but an amazing thing when it's put to use."

This quote emphasizes that human intelligence, if left idle or misused, can be detrimental, but when harnessed constructively, it becomes a powerful tool for growth, innovation, and progress. It serves as a call-to-action to utilize our mental abilities productively instead of allowing them to go wasteful or destructive.


These people are real to me, and situations keep coming up where their emergence feels natural. It's like meeting old friends. I hope readers feel the same way.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Hope, Feel, Feels, Emergence

Time spent researching varies from book to book. Some novels require months, even years of research, others very little. I try to do most of my research before I begin but inevitably questions emerge during the writing.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Some, Before, Very, Inevitably

Without sounding pompous, I really do feel that I have a set of standards that I must adhere to, even leaving aside considerations of what the readers expect.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Feel, Without, Set, Adhere

That's what's so great about my job. I get paid to do what got me in trouble in grade school space out and play with my imaginary friends. In terms of Isaac, when the time's right.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Play, Got, About, Grade School

I don't practice, but I am still officially in paediatrics. I keep in touch with journals, and I have a very good data bank of medical information and there is a key thing for a writer knowing where to go. I know where to go to get the information that I need.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Medical, Practice, Very, Journals

Each novel is harder than its predecessor because I must work harder at not repeating myself. However, I enjoy the challenge. This is the greatest job in the world.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Work, Myself, However, Repeating

It didn't feel difficult at the time because I was so charged up about both books. Afterward, however, I was pretty tired. In a good way, like after a great workout.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Pretty, Like, However, Charged

We tend to read each other's books in sizeable chunks as they are written. I don't know that you could say we are ruthless with each other - in fact, I suppose we are very kind. There are ways to make suggestions which are not destructive.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Fact, Other, Very, Suggestions

The characters emerge from my rather twisted mind. That's another enjoyable part of the job making stuff up.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Mind, Making, Rather, Emerge

The key to this collaboration - which we undertook after much deliberation - was to stretch creatively. New characters, new locales, new form (the novella).

- Jonathan Kellerman

New, Deliberation, Which, Creatively

That has to remain the principal reason for doing it, doesn't it? I know it's possible to write for money, and many very good writers have done so. But for me, it has to remain the principal thing that I actually want to do the writing.

- Jonathan Kellerman

Doing, Reason, Very, Principal

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