Kapuściński Quotes on Life
Ryszard Kapuściński's quotes on life, fate, purpose and solitude — from Travels with Herodotus, The Shadow of the Sun, the Lapidarium notebooks and Nobody Leaves: Impressions of Poland.
Translation note: Unless a published English translator is named, the wording on this page is an editorial translation from Polish and may differ from the authorised English-language edition.
A selection of Ryszard Kapuściński’s quotes on life — on fate, passing, purpose and solitude. Thoughts from Travels with Herodotus, The Shadow of the Sun, the Lapidarium notebooks and Nobody Leaves: Impressions of Poland.
📖 See also: all quotes by Kapuściński · Where to start reading Kapuściński
On life and fate
“A person cannot outlive his own shadow.” — The Shadow of the Sun
“Flowers do not bloom for themselves, but always for someone else.” — Imperium
“In his actions, a person has no choice. He carries his fate within himself, as if it were a genetic code — he must go where and do what destiny has ordained.” — Travels with Herodotus
“You need only reach out your hand to embrace a girl, but you need only take a few steps to bend over a coffin — and between what is the most beautiful life and what is the cruellest death, there we are.” — Nobody Leaves: Impressions of Poland
“Fate must be fulfilled.” — Travels with Herodotus
On purpose and solitude
“The higher the goal you set yourself, the more alone you will be.” — Lapidarium
“Many things we begin to understand too late, more of them very late, and most of them too late.” — Lapidarium
“When a human being encounters an obstacle he cannot destroy, he begins to destroy himself.” — Lapidarium / Travels with Herodotus
See also
source: kapuscinski.info