Ransom Riggs Quotes

Powerful Ransom Riggs for Daily Growth

About Ransom Riggs

Ransom Riggs, born on February 3, 1978, is an American author and producer known for his unique blending of historical photographs with fictional narrative in his books. Raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Riggs developed a fascination for vintage photography at an early age, a passion that would later become the foundation of his literary career. After graduating from Kent School in Connecticut, Riggs earned a bachelor's degree in English and anthropology from Kenyon College in Ohio. His interest in unusual items led him to work at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where he discovered a trove of vintage photographs that would eventually inspire his debut novel, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children." Published in 2011, "Miss Peregrine's" quickly became a bestseller and launched Riggs into the literary spotlight. The novel tells the story of Jacob Portman, a teenager who discovers his grandfather's tales of a secret island populated by peculiar children with extraordinary abilities are true. The book was praised for its innovative use of vintage photographs to enhance the narrative. The success of "Miss Peregrine's" led to two sequels: "Hollow City" (2014) and "Library of Souls" (2015). In 2016, a film adaptation was released, further cementing Riggs' place in the literary world. Riggs has also written several short stories, including "Tales of the Peculiar," a collection of short stories set within the universe of his peculiar children series. His latest novel, "The Mirror Visitor Quartet," published from 2017 to 2020, delves into a new world of magic and mystery, once again incorporating historical photographs. Riggs continues to live in Los Angeles with his wife, bestselling author Tahereh Mafi. His work remains marked by a unique blend of storytelling, history, and photography that captivates readers worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In a world so focused on what it lacks, it's easy to forget about all that we have."

This quote by Ransom Riggs emphasizes the importance of appreciating what we possess rather than dwelling on what we don't have. In today's fast-paced world, it's common to compare ourselves to others or focus on our shortcomings, leading to feelings of dissatisfaction and discontent. However, by shifting our perspective and recognizing the abundance in our lives, we can cultivate a more fulfilled and grateful outlook. This quote serves as a reminder to embrace the richness of our experiences, relationships, and possessions, and to savor the joy they bring us every day.


"We're all a little mad here."

This quote from Lewis Carroll, used in Ransom Riggs' works, implies that everyone, regardless of where they are or who they are with, has their own unique quirks, idiosyncrasies, or ways of thinking that might seem "mad" or unconventional to others. It suggests a sense of acceptance and understanding for the diversity and peculiarities that make each individual special in their own way. In the context of Riggs' work, it could be referring specifically to the inhabitants of the fantastical world he creates.


"The truth is, everyone who comes to Hollows eventually leaves a piece of themselves behind. And it's the pieces left behind that make the place what it is."

This quote by Ransom Riggs suggests that the experience of being in a particular place (in this case, Hollows) has an enduring impact on individuals, leaving behind a permanent change or imprint in their lives. The essence of these individual fragments contributes to the unique identity and character of the place itself over time. This idea emphasizes the interconnectedness between people and places, as each influences the other in profound ways.


"Everyone you meet carries with them a piece of some other world."

This quote emphasizes that each person we encounter in life is a microcosm, carrying within them stories, experiences, and perspectives from different walks of life. These diverse backgrounds serve as connections to various worlds that may be unfamiliar or unknown to us, thereby enriching our own understanding and broadening our horizons. In essence, it underscores the importance of empathy, open-mindedness, and curiosity in forging deeper human relationships and gaining a richer appreciation of the interconnected web of humanity.


"Imagination can be more important than knowledge." (This quote is actually by Albert Einstein, but it's often associated with Ransom Riggs due to his work.)

This quote emphasizes the power of imagination over mere facts and knowledge. It suggests that the ability to envision possibilities beyond what we already know can lead us to discoveries, innovations, and solutions that are often more impactful than just memorizing information. In other words, having an active imagination allows us to think creatively, dream big, and challenge the status quo, ultimately driving progress in our personal lives and society as a whole.


You find a lot of junk when you're searching through lost and tossed photo ephemera, but every so often you'll find a gem, a wallet-sized masterpiece you're certain could hang on the wall of a gallery if only someone with a name had taken it. Find one or two of those and you're hooked for life.

- Ransom Riggs

Through, Searching, Hang, One Or Two

I went to film school, trained as a director, have made a lot of movies, and taken a lot of photographs, so I tend to envision things spatially. As I'm working, I need to have a map of the space. I need to know what's happening in all corners simultaneously.

- Ransom Riggs

Space, Film School, Trained, Envision

I have an unusual hobby: I collect pictures of people I don't know. It started when I was a kid growing up in South Florida, the land of junk stores, garage sales, and flea markets, as a kind of coping mechanism.

- Ransom Riggs

Kid, Florida, South, Flea

I grew up in Florida, which is the land of flea markets and swap meets. My grandmother loved to go these places, and she'd take me along.

- Ransom Riggs

Florida, Which, Meets, Flea

I loved the idea of a book of fairytales meant especially for peculiar children, and I love even more the idea of making that fictional book real.

- Ransom Riggs

Love, Making, Meant, Fictional

I love building out the worlds of my fiction with fictional books.

- Ransom Riggs

Love, I Love, Worlds, Fictional

It never occurred to me that there were so many wonderful photos that had been orphaned and were out there in the world, waiting to be found. Over time, I found a lot of very strange pictures of kids, and I wanted to know who they were, what their stories were. Since the photos had no context, I decided I needed to make it up.

- Ransom Riggs

Waiting, Been, Very, Context

Ghost stories and Sherlock Holmes mysteries were great. And I had a major soft spot for those 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books.

- Ransom Riggs

Own, Mysteries, Stories, Soft Spot

It was at a big swap meet that I discovered you could buy other people's old discarded family photos and vacation pictures for pretty cheap - a quarter, 50 cents, five bucks for a really nice one.

- Ransom Riggs

Big, Other, Discovered, Vacation

'The Tales' are an important part of 'Hollow City,' when the kids discover secrets encoded in them that end up saving their lives. I wrote two tales as part of 'Hollow City,' and spent the next couple of years finishing the trilogy but itching to write more tales.

- Ransom Riggs

City, Next, Couple, Trilogy

My happy place is 40 feet out in the Gulf of Mexico, sitting on a sandbar in 80-degree water, watching clouds crawl by. Absolute heaven.

- Ransom Riggs

Happy, Clouds, Feet, Gulf

Fairy tales and folk tales are part of the DNA of all stories and great fun to write.

- Ransom Riggs

Part, Stories, Fairy Tales, Great Fun

I had some great English teachers. One of my favorite - her name was Linda Janoff - was wonderful and so irreverent and so smart and encouraging.

- Ransom Riggs

Some, Encouraging, Had, Irreverent

The end of 'Hollow City' left the peculiar children in a very precarious spot, and that's just where 'Library of Souls' begins.

- Ransom Riggs

City, Souls, Very, Peculiar

Just the textures of things are really important to me as I'm writing; I think atmospherics and visuals can have such emotional impact if you can harness the thematic thread between how scenes look and how your characters feel. I like to tug on that thread.

- Ransom Riggs

Feel, I Think, Textures, Tug

Woodcuts have a really timeless sort of feel, and they feel like a book that's a couple hundred years old.

- Ransom Riggs

Like, Couple, Hundred, Hundred Years

I'm getting a lot of mail from readers, and I'd say 90% seem to be from adults, which amazes me. But then again, I can only write what I imagine I'd like to read, and I'm an adult, so maybe it's not so surprising after all.

- Ransom Riggs

I Can, Mail, Maybe, Amazes

Pine View was a great school for me - it made it safe to be a nerd. It was okay to really care about doing your homework and doing well in school.

- Ransom Riggs

Doing, Okay, Pine, Nerd

I just can't fathom this fame thing; I'm a total newbie.

- Ransom Riggs

Fame, Total, Fame Thing, Fathom

Teenagers are extremely smart, and if they think for even a second that an author is 'writing down' to them, or mimicking their voice poorly, or condescending to them in any way, they will throw the book across the room.

- Ransom Riggs

Voice, Think, Poorly, Condescending

You'll find a lot of rich detail in people's personal histories - diaries and journals and things of the era.

- Ransom Riggs

Find, Era, Lot, Journals

I don't want to ever write a book that seems like it's pandering to younger people or talking down to people who I know are very smart.

- Ransom Riggs

Like, Younger, Very, Younger People

My creativity thrives with limitations.

- Ransom Riggs

Creativity, Limitations, Thrive

When you collect photographs, you're sort of at the mercy of the gods.

- Ransom Riggs

Gods, Sort, Photographs, Mercy

Every snapshot collector has obsessions. Some only collect photos of cars. Others like World War II, or babies, or old-timey girls in old-timey swimsuits. I happen to collect the weird stuff: photos that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up a little. The uncanny.

- Ransom Riggs

Back, Some, World War, Collect

I happen to collect the weird stuff - photos that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up a little. The uncanny.

- Ransom Riggs

Back, Happen, Your, Collect

I'd always wanted to write a novel, but after attending film school, I'd spent five years knocking on Hollywood's door and had put that idea aside.

- Ransom Riggs

Door, Always, Film School, Knocking

For a 12-year-old with a hyperactive imagination who liked to dream of dreary gothic castles, suburban Florida felt a little stifling.

- Ransom Riggs

Castles, Gothic, Stifling, Dreary

Los Angeles, which is where I live, happens to be a great place for junk. People have a lot of it, and they sell it and trade it: At these big swap meets, many, many hundreds of dealers of junk will descend upon a football field on a Saturday and sell all their stuff.

- Ransom Riggs

Big, Saturday, Great Place, Junk

The undiscovered places that are interesting to me are these places that contain bits of our disappearing history, like a ghost town.

- Ransom Riggs

Like, Town, Contain, Ghost

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