Ahmed Zewail Quotes

A Swedish newspaper reporter called and said, You've been awarded the Prize. I was quite sure it was a practical joke.

Pretty much everyday, there's a moment where I'm having to pinch myself and think, 'When did this happen to my life?'

I've said it before about the Nobel Prize: it's like being struck by a more or less benign avalanche. It was unexpected, unlooked for, and extraordinary.

The fact that an icon would even utter my name or have any idea of who I am is absolutely unreal.

I can't believe that person on the television is really me.

I'm shocked at being recognized.

I never dreamed that they would ask me to do a TV show. I'm the most surprised person of all.

To see fans cheering your name, that's shocking. I'm like, 'Wait, how do you know who I am?'

I was 23 and saw my face on the side of the big T4 bus at V Festival and almost fainted.

Just the thought of being on Oprah's radar at all is humbling, but to actually have her take time get on the phone with me kind of blows my mind.

I'll be at the airport, and people will say, 'Mantis!' and I'm like, 'Wait! How do you know I'm here?' It's just crazy.

I got an email saying we were nominated for a Grammy, and I instantly thought it was a joke. So I started Googling the nominees, and there we were!

Life will go on. I suppose the aura of the Nobel is such that my life will change, but I don't think I'm going to let it change much. You understand, I'm used to a quiet life.

I didn't think the real Neal Schon would call a guy like me. I'm just a guy from the Philippines.

I won't lie, I didn't know there was a concert. I've always known about the Nobel Peace Prize and the different prizes given out for science and this and that, but I didn't know there was a concert the day after. When they said, 'You're going to perform in Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize concert,' I was like, 'All right, I'm there.'

Wait a minute man, who do you think I am? He answered, Mr. Springsteen.

I've never thought of myself as an actor, so somebody recognizing me for that would be a real shock.

One does not want glory accepted as a matter of course. One wants to shock and astonish people with it.

When I told my mother I was pregnant, I thought she was going to have a heart attack.

Guys like LeBron, Chris Paul, Kobe... They all speak to me. It's just insane that all these top tier guys who have been in the All-Star game for so many years actually know who I am. I mean not in a million years did I think that Kobe would speak to me.

The pin-up thing took us completely by surprise. I found it hard because I got singled out, and I didn't like it. There was a lot of disillusionment.

It's so cool, the number of emails I get from people saying I changed their life. It's pretty crazy.

I'm still always surprised when someone recognizes me.

Every author dreams of the kind of attention that 'Beautiful Children' has received in the press. Obviously, it's a shock whenever it happens. So yeah, I'm as surprised as everybody else.

I didn't know there was so many people in this world that knew of me.