“There's always been war," said Veillard. "But people quickly get accustomed to peace. So they think it's normal. No, war is what's normal.”

“There have been as many plagues as wars in history; yet always plagues and wars take people equally by surprise.”

“When a war breaks out, people say: "It's too stupid; it can't last long." But though a war may well be "too stupid," that doesn't prevent its lasting. Stupidity has a knack of getting its way; as we should see if we were not always so much wrapped up in ourselves.”

“Everybody knows that pestilences have a way of recurring in the world; yet somehow we find it hard to believe in ones that crash down on our heads from a blue sky. There have been as many plagues as wars in history; yet always plagues and wars take people equally by surprise.”

“The beginning of war is similar to the beginning of peace — the world and the heart know nothing about it.”

“Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.”

“At one time or another all normal people have wished their loved ones were dead.”