Authors:

Helen DeWitt Quotes

There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiquette is that you must begin in ignorance & persevere in the face

There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiquette is that you must begin in ignorance & persevere in the face of knowledge, & though I naturally believe that this is profoundly wrong it's not nice to go around constantly offending people.

Helen DeWitt
Nice, Believe, Love Life
Helen DeWitt (2016). “The Last Samurai”, p.136, New Directions Publishing

Perhaps this is the root of all evil, that gardeners are not put in charge of our schools.

Helen DeWitt
School, Roots, Evil

The master swordsman isn't interested in killing people. He only wants to perfect his art.

Helen DeWitt
Art, People, Perfect
Helen DeWitt (2016). “The Last Samurai”, p.48, New Directions Publishing

The typical review makes a Teletubby look like a sabre-toothed tiger. You can economize by reading online rather than squandering $4.95, yes, but all you get is people pusillanimously Favoriting and Liking and Friending. Why is there no Hate button? Why?

Helen DeWitt
Hate, Reading, People

If you don’t like a language, you can go write your own.

Helen DeWitt
Writing, Language, Write Your Own

There are people who think contraception is immoral because the object of copulation is procreation. In a similar way there are people who think the only reason to read a book is to write a book.

Helen DeWitt
Book, Writing, Thinking
Helen DeWitt (2016). “The Last Samurai”, p.18, New Directions Publishing

I didn't want to go to sleep knowing I would just wake up in the morning.

Helen DeWitt
Morning, Sleep, Knowing

I once read somewhere that Sean Connery left school at the age of 13 and later went on to read Proust and Finnegans Wake and I keep expecting to meet an enthusiastic school leaver on the train, the type of person who only ever reads something because it is marvellous (and so hated school). Unfortunately the enthusiastic school leavers are all minding their own business.

Helen DeWitt
School, Age, Proust
Helen DeWitt (2016). “The Last Samurai”, p.61, New Directions Publishing

There are people who think death a fate worse than boredom.

Helen DeWitt
Fate, Thinking, People
"The Last Samurai". Book by Helen DeWitt, 2016.

The writer who is literally an addict, the writer who can't help himself, the writer who HAS to write, can never be anything but an amateur, because the industry requires the professional to put writing on hold not just for a day or two, or a week, but for years.

Helen DeWitt
Writing, Years, Two

You May Also Like: