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Jack McDevitt Biography

Jack McDevitt (born April 14, 1935) is an American science fiction author whose novels frequently deal with attempts to make contact with alien races, and with archaeology or xenoarchaeology. His two main series are the Alex Benedict series and the Priscilla Hutchins series.

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Jack McDevitt Quotes

Talking with most people usually involves a search for truth. Talking with congressmen is strictly special effects.

Congressmen, People, Special, Strictly, Talking

The uplifters are forever running around telling blockheads they would do better if they would believe in themselves. But they already do. That is why they are blockheads.

Already, Believe, Forever, Running, Uplifters

Technological civilizations don't last long. You're all right until you get a printing press. Then a race starts between technology and common sense. And maybe technology always wins.

Civilizations, Press, Race, Starts, Technology, Winning

We could never know who we truly were until we heard the whispers of the stars.

Heard, Know, Knows, Stars

How does it happen that the most intractable types always rise to the top?

Doe, Happens, Intractable, Rise, Top, Type

If you want creative and successful children, resign yourself to jousting with rebels.

Children, Successful, Creative

Intelligence is like pornography. I can't define it, but I know if when I see it.

Pornography, Knows, Ifs, Define, See

People tend to believe that good fortune consists of equal parts talent, hard work, and sheer luck. It's hard to deny the roles of the latter two. As to talent, I would only say it consists primarily in finding the right moment to step in.

Believe, Hard Work, Two, Tend, Sheer, Parts

But, come to think of it, there was no need to wait. Time travelers don't have to wait for anybody.

Come, Needs, Think, Thinking, Time, Waiting

Throughout our long and sorry history it has been men who supposed themselves to be exemplars of integrity who have done all the damage. Every crusade, whether for decent literary standards or to cover women's bodies or to free the holy land, had been launched, endorsed, and enthusiastically perpetrated by men of character.

Sorry, Integrity, Character, Throughout, Endorsed, Bodies

Katie commented that Americans had lost the ability to enjoy themselves. "We watch television," Dave said.

Watches, Television, Dave, Said, Watch

The real problem has to do with the inability by people to admit that a position they've held a long time might be wrong. That's all. Not that it is. Just that it might be. I don't know why it is, but we tend to fall in love with things we believe, Threaten them, and you threaten us.

Admit, Believe, Falling In Love, People, Real, Things

What would happen is that people like Geroge and Alyx would grow old and die chasing a dream. Although there were probably worse things to do with one's life.

Chasing, Die, Dream, Geroge, Grow, People

See what the world looks like from orbit. Well, in that way, at least, there was profit to be had. Nobody could look down at the planet, green and blue, with no borders in evidence and no sign of human habitation, and not get his perspective forever altered.

Blue, Perspective, Forever, Sign, Habitation, Altered

There is no justice. There are occasional acts of vengeance, or regret, but there's no real justice. In the natural scheme of things, it is not possible.

Justice, Possible, Real, Regret, Scheme

The queen of virtues is the recognition of one's own flaws.

Flaws, Queen, Queens, Recognition, Virtues

Put the money into schools. Rational ones that train young minds to think, to demand that persons in authority show the evidence for the ideas they push. Do that, and we won't need to provide a world for the Sacred Brethren who, given the opportunity, would run everyone else off the planet.

Brethren, Running, Sacred, School, Think, Thinking

Don't assume that a species is intelligent because it produces intelligent individuals.

Assume, Assuming, Individual, Individuals, Intelligent

It can provide horrendous weapons to idiots.

Horrendous, Idiot, Idiots, Provide, Weapons

Tides are like politics. They come and go with a great deal of fuss and noise, but inevitably they leave the beach just as they found it. On those few occasions when major change does occur, it is rarely a good news.

Beach, Change, Come, Doe, Found, News

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