Five Favorite Lines From Love in Times of Cholera
26 Aug 2026 #miscI just finished reading Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in Times of Cholera.
Here are five drops of wisdom I couldn’t help but underline (my own translations):
#1.
“Wisdom comes when it’s no longer of any use.”
I’ve often heard people say, “I wish I knew what I know now five years ago.”
#2.
“The weak would never enter the kingdom of love, it is a harsh and miserly kingdom, and women surrender only to men of brave spirit, because they inspire the security they so desperately crave in life.”
A wise friend has less stylistic version, “coward men don’t date attractive women.” Replace the nouns appropriately.
#3.
“Say yes. Even if you’re dying of fear, even if you later regret it, because you’ll regret it all your life if you say no.”
OK, dating advice an aunt shared with her niece in the story. “Live without regrets,” a friend told me, the other day.
#4.
“The world is divided between those who shit well and those who shit badly.”
I’ve witnessed that division. Here are 10 habits I follow to improve my digestion.
#5.
“The problem with marriage is that it ends every night after making love, and it has to be rebuilt every morning before breakfast.”
If you’re curious, here’s my rule for reading translated books and here are my books.