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Susan Howatch Quotes

Powerful Susan Howatch for Daily Growth

About Susan Howatch

Susan Howatch (1940-2019) was a renowned British novelist, best known for her profound and spiritually insightful novels that delved into the complexities of faith, love, and human nature. Born on August 5, 1940, in London, England, Howatch spent much of her early life in Egypt, where her father was posted as a British Army officer. This multicultural upbringing undoubtedly influenced her later works, which often explored themes of cultural identity and spirituality. Howatch attended the University of Sussex, where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she worked as a teacher and then as a researcher for the Church of England's Archbishops' Council. These experiences provided her with rich material for her novels, which frequently featured characters entrenched in religious institutions. Howatch rose to prominence in 1974 with the publication of her first novel, "Glittering Images," the first book in her celebrated Starbridge trilogy. The trilogy continued with "Penmarric" (1978) and "Meridon" (1980). These novels were followed by a series of standalone novels that continued to explore themes of faith, love, and personal identity, including "The Silent Tower" (1985), "The Savage Vicar" (1992), and "Strange Ground" (2002). Howatch's writing was characterized by its depth, complexity, and emotional resonance. Her novels were often set in the world of Anglican churches and reflected her deep understanding of religious institutions and their complexities. Howatch's work has been celebrated for its insightful portrayal of human struggles with faith and its exploration of the spiritual journeys of her characters. Susan Howatch passed away on December 28, 2019, leaving behind a lasting literary legacy that continues to resonate with readers today. Her novels remain popular and continue to inspire readers seeking thought-provoking narratives about faith, love, and the human condition.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Love is a journey, not a destination."

The quote by Susan Howatch highlights that love is an ongoing process rather than a fixed state or end goal. It suggests that love should be nurtured, explored, and experienced over time, as one grows in understanding and compassion with their partner. It emphasizes the importance of the journey, the growth, and the experiences shared along the way, rather than focusing solely on achieving some idealized "destination" of perfection in a relationship.

"We cannot choose our feelings any more than we can choose our height; but we can decide how we express them."

This quote by Susan Howatch suggests that feelings, much like physical traits such as height, are inherent and beyond our control. However, she emphasizes the power of personal agency in deciding how these feelings are expressed or acted upon. In other words, while we can't change what we feel, we have the freedom to determine how those feelings manifest in our behavior towards others and in our responses to life's circumstances.

"Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude."

This quote by Susan Howatch highlights that forgiveness isn't just about making an occasional gesture when wronged, but rather maintaining a consistent mindset of understanding, compassion, and letting go. It emphasizes the importance of cultivating a continuous state of openness towards others who may have hurt us, fostering a more harmonious and empathetic world.

"The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."

This quote by Susan Howatch suggests that the past, as opposed to the present, is a distinct and unfamiliar place, governed by its own customs, values, and perspectives. It's like visiting another culture where traditions may differ significantly from our own. The experiences and mindsets of people in different eras can be vastly dissimilar to ours, making it essential to understand and appreciate historical context when studying or interpreting the past.

"God does not heal us as we want to be healed, but as we need to be healed for the journey He has in mind for us."

This quote suggests that God's healing process may not always align with our personal expectations or desires, but instead is tailored to our unique needs and the divine plan for our lives. The healing journey God provides might be more challenging or different than what we anticipate, yet it serves a greater purpose in shaping us into who we need to be for the path He has planned for us.

If you are a Christian, you want to give as much as you can away. It sounds pious, but it's not a duty; it's a kind of joy.

- Susan Howatch

Kind, Give, Away, Pious

Basically, all novelists should want to tell a story, and if they don't want to, they shouldn't be novelists. I think story-telling is important and underrated.

- Susan Howatch

Think, I Think, Novelists, Underrated

I am a lover of truth; and if you think of truth as being multifaceted and so huge that we human beings can't fully comprehend it, then obviously it makes sense to put all the facts together - to compare disciplines and try to advance the sum of knowledge by exploration and examination.

- Susan Howatch

Compare, Comprehend, Sum, Fully

It was tremendously exciting to discover that science was not destroying religion, as people popularly believe, but that it could cast light on theism and Christianity.

- Susan Howatch

Discover, Could, Theism, Destroying

I can't complain about the way I've been marketed because it's been so successful.

- Susan Howatch

Because, Been, About, Complain

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