You are allowed to fall asleep on my postsThe other day (Book Day - see previous post) the newspaper published 20 quotes by famous writers about the reasons that made them write. I devoured them.
One spanish writer called Rosa Montero said something like this, in one of her books:
"I could say that I write to handle the anguish of the nights (...) while we toss and turn in our beds, we need to think of something so that the darkness isn't full of threats. And we think about our books, the text we're writing, the characters that become involved in our inner self" - very badly translated, I must say!
Bernardo Soares, one of the heteronyms of Fernando Pessoa wrote:
"Writing is forgetting. Literature is the most pleasant way of ignoring life. Music lulls us, the visual arts cheer us up, the lively arts (like dancing and drama) entertain us. (...) Literature simulates life."
José Saramago said:
"I write because I have nothing better to do."
W.G. Sebald wrote:
"...we can't say whether writing makes us more sensible or more foolish"
PS - I'm sorry about the comment verification. I really hate that but I'm being attacked by spam comments!
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7 comments:
I especially like the Saramago quote...it could apply to just about anything, couldn't it?
Rosa's quote is quite true, or rather your translation of it is... ^_-
Thanks for the comment on my blog, by the way. I really appreciate your thoughts. xx
The Montero quote is good for me!..as an artist I can identify with this on my level..that art like writing is in many ways about making sense of ones self and the world around us..like the later quote..who knows if it leaves us wiser or more foolish? but it does at least allow us to see our foolishness in a bigger context...in a wise sort of way.
I hvae read all of Saramago's books...do you enjoy them?
i like what Rosa said.
now, who r these devils spamming the poor devil?
i write.
(thats the bum's quote, if u r wondering :))
Kim: Yes, to anything you like doing, hopefully!
Eric: The night is a bitch :P You're welcome, Eric. If there's anything I can do, just tell me :)
Niall: I think about that all the time - wiser or more foolish? Good or bad for me? It doesn't really matter because it's a necessity! You summed it up quite well.
Cathy, I am ashamed to admit that I've never read Saramago. I'm a little put off by some critics but I know they are great books. Do the translations use commas? Saramago is known for not using them at all! lol Which one was your favourite?
Vesper: Me too, I really connected to her view.
Dharmabum: Thanks for adding your quote, it's as good as the others, truly ! :) Writing is natural in you, full stop!
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