Colleen McCullough Quotes

By desiring little, a poor man makes himself rich.

Advances don't fundamentally interest me. It sounds terribly naive, but money doesn't really mean anything to me. If a lot of money came my way, I'm certainly not going to say no. But it hasn't come my way as yet, and I'm not heartbroken.

Wealth is not an absolute. It is relative to desire. Every time we yearn for something we cannot afford, we grow poorer, whatever our resources. And every time we feel satisfied with what we have, we can be counted as rich, however little we may actually possess.

I'm not the poorest president. The poorest is the one who needs a lot to live.

He that would be content with a mean condition must not cast his eye upon one that is in a far better estate than himself, but let him look upon him that is lower than he is, and, if he see that such a one bears poverty comfortably, it will help to quiet him.

I remember once in junior high school, on a Friday, my mom came home from work and said to my brother and I, 'You know, between us, we have only 27 cents, but we have food in the refrigerator, we have our little garden out back, and we're happy, so we are rich.'

I really don't require a whole lot in life.

I was born and have ever remained in the most humble walks of life.

I am not ashamed to say that I am the son of a washerwoman.

We were never a family that had a lot. We had enough, but not a lot.

How rich, how happy is he who lives in poverty! He lives his days in wisdom, and sleeps in peace. Only he can be really happy, only he is so always!

Be satisfied with needs instead of wants.

A small appetite makes poverty equivalent to wealth.

When I was growing up, we didn't have much money. What was important in my house was to have food on the table, be happy, and have our family.

I have no regrets about being poor.

I'm not a showoff. My happiness comes from very basic and simple things.

I come from a lower-middle-class family and used to stay in a housing board colony.

I'm O.K. having a comfortable life. I don't have to live in a mansion and drive Aston Martins or Ferraris.

I grew up with very little - so material things have never been that important for me.

I grew up with nothing, and I know that I don't need anything to be happy. We were wearing second-hand clothing and eating leftovers, and I was so happy. Five-star hotels and private pick-ups hasn't changed that.

I am most certainly not rich. But I am a man who is intrinsically lazy. And I'm more than happy to put a piece of cheese on a rice cake and call that dinner.

...that in spite of living in a mansion an American is not above wearing a pair of secondhand pants, bought for fifty cents.

Other people have more than they need, I alone seem wanting.

I can tell you I'm pretty middle-class.

I'm a proud product of the American middle class.