Lecter is so lucid, so perceptive; he’s trained in psychiatry… and he’s a mass murderer. — Thomas Harris

Being smart spoils a lot of things, doesn’t it? — Thomas Harris

I expect most psychiatrists have a patient or two they’d like to refer to me. — Thomas Harris

Nothing made me happen. I happened. — Thomas Harris

Over this odd world, this half the world that’s dark now, I have to hunt a thing that lives on tears. — Thomas Harris

Gratitude’s got a short half–life, Clarice. — Thomas Harris

In making friends, she was wary of people who foster dependency and feed on it. She had been involved with a few––the blind attract them, and they are the enemy. — Thomas Harris

Intense fear comes in waves; the body can’t stand it for long at a time. — Thomas Harris

You would think such a day would tremble to begin . . . — Thomas Harris

He moves smoothly and slowly, carrying his concentration like a brimming cup. — Thomas Harris

The advantage of beating a mute is he can’t tell on you. — Thomas Harris

Fear comes with imagination, it’s a penalty, it’s the price of imagination. — Thomas Harris

You cant reduce me to a set of influences. — Thomas Harris

The most stable elements, Clarice, appear in the middle of the periodic table, roughly between iron and silver. Between iron and silver. I think that is appropriate for you. — Thomas Harris

One quality in a person doesn’t rule out any other quality. They can exist side by side, good and terrible. Socrates said it a lot better. — Thomas Harris

I’ll confess it is pleasant to look at you asleep. You’re quite beautiful, Clarice. — Thomas Harris

You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It’s all there and you just have to find it. — Thomas Harris

Writing novels is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, including digging irrigation ditches. — Thomas Harris

Ready when you are, Sergeant Pempbry. — Thomas Harris

It’s fear, Jack. The man deals with a huge amount of fear.’ Because he got hurt?’ No, not entirely. Fear comes with imagination, it’s a penalty, it’s the price of imagination. — Thomas Harris

But the face on the pillow, rosy in the firelight, is certainly that of Clarice Starling, and she sleeps deeply, sweetly, in the silence of the lambs. — Thomas Harris

It’s hard to have anything isn’t it? Rare to get it, hard to keep it. This is a damn slippery planet. — Thomas Harris

And your dinner for the orchestra officials.’ ‘Haven’t you ever had people coming over and no time to shop? You have to make do with what’s in the fridge, Clarice. May I call you Clarice? — Thomas Harris

It occured to Starling how much Roden would benefit from an elbow smash in the hinge of his jaw. — Thomas Harris

Human emotions are a gift from our animal ancestors. Cruelty is a gift humanity has given itself. — Thomas Harris

The tragedy is not to die, but to be wasted. — Thomas Harris

I love myself that much and I will never apologize to you. — Thomas Harris

A census taker tried to quantify me once. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a big Amarone. Go back to school, little Starling. — Thomas Harris