Borders are scratched across the hearts of men, by strangers with a calm, judicial pen, and when the borders bleed we watch with dread the lines of ink along the map turn red.

— Marya Mannes

Generosity with strings is not generosity: it is a deal.

— Marya Mannes

If American men are obsessed with money, American women are obsessed with weight. The men talk of gain, the women talk of loss, and I do not know which talk is the more boring.

— Marya Mannes

In aid, the proper attitude is one omitting gratitude.

— Marya Mannes

In our society those who are in reality superior in intelligence can be accepted by their fellows only if they pretend they are not.

— Marya Mannes

Is there no end to this escalation of desire?

— Marya Mannes

It is not enough to show people how to live better: there is a mandate for any group with enormous powers of communication to show people how to be better.

— Marya Mannes

It is privilege of living to be ... acutely agonizingly conscious of the moment that is always present and always passing.

— Marya Mannes

It's never what you say but how you make it sound sincere.

— Marya Mannes

It's never what you say, but how you make it sound sincere.

— Marya Mannes