Michael Ondaatje Quotes

What is interesting and important happens mostly in secret, in places where there is no power. Nothing much of lasting value ever happens at the head table, held together by a familiar rhetoric. Those who already have power continue to glide along the familiar rut they have made for themselves.

When you're dealing with espionage and covert affairs, sometimes the secret is more exciting than the knowledge.

For the Order wishes to be secret and to work in silence; for thus it is better secured from the oppression of the ruling powers, and because this secrecy gives a greater zest to the whole.

Few secret undertakings ever did any nation any good.

Secrecy is the foundation of politics.

Great nations are simply the operating fronts of behind-the-scenes, vastly ambitious individuals who had become so effectively powerful because of their ability to remain invisible while operating behind the national scenery.

I think in the corridors of power these dangerous kinds of orders are issued in a much more vague way, passed down two or three levels of command before they're given to the assassin.

Intelligence is about lies. If something is legal and above board, you would not need the CIA to do it.

Secrets have power, and that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important ones, with even one other person, will change them.

Successful rebellions always begin in secret.

Sylvia loved secrets and even if she didn't have any secrets she made sure that you thought she did. Amelia had no secrets, Amelia knew nothing. When she grew up she planned to know everything and to keep it all a secret.

Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret.

There are many difficult things in this world to hide, but a secret is not one of them.

People who are just in a restaurant that you would never know are international arms dealers is kind of interesting, they're at the table next to you and you have no idea, you never know what everyone's up to.

Apparently, 'conspiracy stuff' is now shorthand for unspeakable truth.

Only the small secrets need to be protected. The large ones are kept secret by public incredulity.

There's always another secret.' -Kelsier

The important thing to know about an assassination or an attempted assassination is not who fired the shot, but who paid for the bullet.

I think I'm probably an assassin and not a Templar, but no doubt we're probably run by people with Templar mentalities.

The king hath note of all that they intend, by interception which they dream not of.

So this was how secrets got started, I thought to myself. People constructed them little by little.

He that has a secret should not only hide it, but hide that he has it to hide.

Power expands through the distribution of secrecy.

People will tell you most of the story… and I’ve learned that the part they neglect to tell you is often the most important part. People hide the truth because they’re afraid.

But some secrets are too delicious not to share.