''The Notebooks of Lazarus Long'' is a 1978 collection of

aphorisms An aphorism (from Greek ἀφορισμός: ''aphorismos'', denoting 'delimitation', 'distinction', and 'definition') is a concise, terse, laconic, or memorable expression of a general truth or principle. Aphorisms are often handed down by tra ...

by Robert Heinlein's main character, "

Lazarus Long Lazarus Long is a fictional character featured in a number of science fiction novels by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Born in 1912 in the third generation of a selective breeding experiment run by the Ira Howard Foundation, Lazarus (birth ...

", excerpted from his 1973 novel ''

Time Enough for Love ''Time Enough for Love'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, first published in 1973. The book made the shortlist for the Nebula, Hugo and Locus awards for best science fiction novel of that year, although it did no ...

''. The aphorisms were originally published as two "intermission" sections in the novel. In the context of the novel, the quotes were selected from Long's much longer memoirs (which make up a significant portion of the novel). Some of the quotes are humorous or ironic, some philosophical, and some merely quirky. They range in length from one sentence to multiple paragraphs. For example:

Always store beer in a cold, dark place. Cheops' Law: Nothing ''ever'' gets built on schedule or within budget. Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human. At best he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house. Rub her feet. If the universe has any purpose more important than topping a woman you love and making a baby with her hearty help, I have never heard of it. Never try to teach a pig to sing – it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

In 1978, these "notebooks" were published as a stand-alone work, with some quotes

illuminated Illuminated may refer to: * Illuminated (song), "Illuminated" (song), by Hurts * Illuminated Film Company, a British animation house * ''Illuminated'', alternative title of Black Sheep (Nat & Alex Wolff album) * Illuminated manuscript See also

by D. F. Vassallo (similar to medieval scripture). More excerpts were published in 1988.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Notebooks of Lazarus Long 1978 books Ace Books books Books of aphorisms Books by Robert A. Heinlein Science fiction books