Being American is, I think, a very difficult thing in art, because all the elements are European. Kingsley Amis More Quotes by Kingsley Amis More Quotes From Kingsley Amis Twentieth century music is like paedophilia. No matter how persuasively and persistently its champions urge their cause, it will never be accepted by the public at large, who will continue to regard it with incomprehension, outrage and repugnance. Kingsley Amis championcausesmatter I was never an Angry Young Man. I am angry only when I hit my thumb with a hammer. Kingsley Amis thumbshammersmen With some exceptions in science fiction and other genres I have small difficulty in avoiding anything that could be called American literature. I feel it is unnatural, not I think entirely because it uses a language that is not mine, however closely akin to my own. Kingsley Amis usefictionthinking He who truly believes he has a hangover has no hangover. Kingsley Amis hangoverbelieve [Science fiction is] that class of prose narrative treating of a situation that could not arise in the world we know, but which is hypothesised on the basis of some innovation in science or technology, or pseudo-science or pseudo-technology, whether human or extra-terrestrial in origin. It is distinguished from pure fantasy by its need to achieve verisimilitude and win the 'willing suspension of disbelief' through scientific plausibility. Kingsley Amis technologywinningclass A German wine label is one of the things life's too short for, a daunting testimony to that peculiar nation's love of detail and organization. Kingsley Amis detailswineorganization A German wine label is one of the things life's too short for. Kingsley Amis labelstoo-shortwine Sex stops when you pull up your pants, Kingsley Amis pull-upslovesex Feeling a tremendous rakehell, and not liking myself much for it, and feeling rather a good chap for not liking myself much for it, and not liking myself at all for feeling rather a good chap. Kingsley Amis chapsfeelings Work was like cats were supposed to be: if you disliked and feared it and tried to keep out if its way, it knew at once and sought you out and jumped on your lap and climbed all over you to show how much it loved you. Please God, he thought, don't let me die in harness. Kingsley Amis catover-youway It scored right away with me by being the smooth, fine-grained sort, not the coarse flaky, dry-on-the-outside rubbish full of chunds of gut and gristle to testify to its authenticity. Kingsley Amis drycookingfood It is no wonder that people are so horrible when they start their life as children. Kingsley Amis Outside every fat man there was an even fatter man trying to close in. Kingsley Amis fatoutsidemantrying If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing. Kingsley Amis annoypointyouwriting He resolved, having done it once, never to move his eyeballs again. Kingsley Amis againheneverdone His mouth had been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum. Kingsley Amis mouthsomesmallnight No wonder people are so horrible when they start life as children. Kingsley Amis startlifechildrenpeople There was no end to the ways in which nice things are nicer than nasty ones. Kingsley Amis endthingsnastynice It was no wonder that people were so horrible when they started life as children. Kingsley Amis wonderlifechildrenpeople
