Monday, October 29, 2012

evil

Eugène Ionesco

Man is driven by evil instincts that are often stronger than moral laws.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

truth in writing

William Trevor

Truth is the most important thing that there is, and if you lose sight of it, your writing will be destroyed in the end.

Friday, October 19, 2012

life

Archibald MacLeish

As one grows older and realizes what a lonely and uncertain place the world is one comes to value above everything else those evidences of human fortitude and dignity and virtue which it has, sometimes, to show.

from a letter to Henrietta Crosby dated Dec. 12, 1929

Thursday, October 18, 2012

self esteem

Allen Ginsberg

We is not ignoramuses.

from a letter to Carolyn Kizer dated Sept. 10, 1956

Sunday, October 14, 2012

stupidity

Anthony Burgess

Stupidity itself could be classified as an aspect of evil, since intelligence was required to work out, to the satisfaction of the individual soul, a rough and ready guide to moral action.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

the right woman

James Ellroy

...she makes me afraid to die, in case there's no heaven and we won't be together in the afterlife. If a woman can do that, you've found the right woman.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

being human

Maya Angelou

I agree with Terence. Terence said ... I am a human being. Nothing human can be alien to me. ... This man, not born white, not born free, without any chance of ever receiving citizenship, said, I am a human being. Nothing human can be alien to me. Well, I believe that. ... So I never have been very concerned about the world telling me how successful I am. I don’t need that.