“ Nothing distresses the civilized person like unfettered nature. The Grand Canyon seen from behind the railing is indeed a splendid sight, but as soon as the desert reclaims your golf course that is an… Anthony Marais
“ Literature is the product of a deep-seated need for honesty. Hence, those who lie most are struck most deeply by it, and those who are honest have no need for it. Anthony Marais
“ Physiologically, the union of two opposites is a pleasurable affair. Why should the psyche be any different? Anthony Marais
“ Words are a means to an end. Those who chase after them inevitably fail to reach that end. Anthony Marais
“ If one chews a problem over long enough, it becomes apparent that the jaw is aching, and what started as weighing heavy on the heart ends up a pain in the neck. Anthony Marais
“ We would like to think of death as a release from the pressures of existence, but this is a fatally mistaken thought: it is the ultimate culmination of those pressures. Anthony Marais
“ Contemplation and writing demand solitude, which leads to a sorry feeling of isolation and detachment. Writers try to call their loneliness genius, and the world believes them most of the time. Anthony Marais
“ To conceive of a god in one’s image is already quite a feat for inflated egos. To imagine, however, that this likeness has chosen your generation amongst the thousands for ending the party is to bring… Anthony Marais
“ There is nothing more blinding than having seen the light, and nothing more tiresome than sharing it. Anthony Marais
“ There is nothing wrong with being fascinated by the dark side of life, and ourselves, but woe to those who think this is representative of reality. All too many of us sit in our homes watching TV, fal… Anthony Marais
“ If an artist wants to be original, he should not look to art for inspiration, for art seeks its model in life, not art—and only life is rich enough to simulate originality. Anthony Marais
“ Wisdom doesn’t come only from the experience you have had, but from the experience you have chosen not to have. Anthony Marais
“ Infatuation is measured in pleasure. Love is measured in pain. Behold the value of pain! Anthony Marais
“ How do you thank someone like Woody Allen or Milan Kundera—when they have shared ideas with you that are no less than life-saving, when they have given you some of your happiest moments, sharing what… Anthony Marais
“ It’s not words, but years we should be editing. Remember: time spent on bad art is a form of redundancy, doing the same thing twice is a form of tautology, and wasting precious moments complaining abo… Anthony Marais
“ Those who jump out of airplanes do not love life—they deny it, which, of course, is not done without a certain naughty exhilaration. Like children they relish tugging on the apron of Mother Nature, as… Anthony Marais
“ Reflection is nothing more than what it sounds, and pondering one’s own life is about as productive as talking to one’s image in a mirror: both acts are egocentric and neither produces a dialog. Peopl… Anthony Marais
“ Many humans make the mistake of fighting for race when it’s the species driving our genes. And there is only one weapon to fight for species: the brain. Anthony Marais
