Markus Zusak Quotes

Rarely they rise by virtue's aid who lie plunged in the depth of helpless poverty.

When we were growing up, we were so poor that our heritage was the only thing we had. Mama would say, 'Kids, pour more water in the soup. Better days are coming.'

I began to learn what poverty meant. It was burnt in my heart then that my father had to beg for work and there came the resolve that I would cure that when I got to be a man.

I know the struggles of poor people, and have always kept that with me.

Bonnie and Clyde grew up in absolute poverty. They didn't go to school or have any money; the only way they could figure out how to get ahead was to steal. The banks were foreclosing on everyone's homes. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to that struggle.

My mother gave up everything for me. In Yekaterinburg, she had a job and an apartment in the centre of the city and her whole life. And in Moscow - nothing.

My mom was born poor, raised poor, and was going to die poor.

I did just about anything to pay the rent for a while.

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I came out here with a thousand dollars to my name.

I've written just about everything for the sake of putting shoes on the children's feet - and a bottle of gin in the cupboard.

Ultimately, I think people are so hopeful for having some joy in life that is really hard to find. You can't make a living, and the idea of doing one small bank robbery or something, just trying to find your way in a life, finding your footing and ending up behind bars.

I just know that there are plenty of people who are in terrible trouble and can't get out. And so I'm impatient with those who think that it's easy for people to get out of trouble.

He that pines with hunger, is in little care how others shall be fed. The poor man is seldom studious to make his grandson rich.

When you’ve been poor all your life, you never really think it could be any other way. And sometimes you’re even happy, because at least you’ve got your family and your health and your arms and legs and a roof over your head.

Down to my last dime and coming apart at the seams. I'm messed up in Mexico, living on refried dreams.

I got tired and embarrassed by the constant poverty of those years. I told Doug [ Brinkley] this is really going to be a horrible downer of a book [The Proud Highway] if all it's going to be is about being broke. I didn't like being reminded of desperation at all times.

You never know how you'll turn out till you've been down to half a dollar and no prospects.

I can honestly say from my experience, my family and I had to start from scratch. We left Venezuela back in 1998 and sold the few things we had to come to America in search of the American dream. We went through really tough times. There were moments where we were wondering are we going to make it.

Poverty urges us to do and suffer anything that we may escape from it, and so leads us away from virtue.

I went with my husband and an innocent child to California. I went to a theatrical manager and asked him to allow me to earn money enough on the stage to buy our tickets home. He did.

It's no secret that my family was very, very poor, and I don't want that for my life or my children's life certainly. But some might say I could relax a bit more and know that that's not going to happen to me. I'm not going to end up in a car.

The man who lives by hope, will die by hunger.

Feel like a broke-down engine, ain't got no drivin' wheel. You all been down and lonesome, you know just how a poor man feels.

Mama's in the factory, she ain't got no shoes. Daddy's in the alley, he's looking for food.

Poverty breeds a lot of things. When people are desperate and trying to survive, they do drastic things.