# The Children of Men  ## Metadata - Author: [[P. D. James]] - Full Title: The Children of Men - Category: #books ## Highlights - Man is diminished if he lives without knowledge of his past; without hope of a future he becomes a beast. ([Location 1636](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0046A9JEI&location=1636)) - Tags: [[blue]] - But he knew that he had to speak and that he would need all his persuasive power. And words might not be enough. He would need to match will with will, passion with passion. All he had on offer was reason, argument, intelligence, and he had put his faith in them all his life. Now he felt vulnerable and inadequate where once he had felt most confident and sure. ([Location 2492](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0046A9JEI&location=2492)) - Tags: [[blue]] ## New highlights added December 29, 2024 at 4:26 PM - “You don’t need a reason. You despise the whole world except people of your own sort, people who have had your education, your advantages, your choices. Gascoigne was twice the man you are. What have you ever produced in your life? What have you ever done except talk about the past? No wonder you chose museums as meeting places. That’s where you feel at home. Gascoigne could destroy a landing stage and put a stop to a Quietus single-handed. Could you?” ([Location 2583](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B0046A9JEI&location=2583)) - Tags: [[blue]]