If the past cannot teach the present and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of time. Russell Hoban More Quotes by Russell Hoban More Quotes From Russell Hoban There must be a lot of people in the world being wondered about by people who don't see them anymore. Russell Hoban people world Language is an archaeological vehicle... the language we speak is a whole palimpsest of human effort and history. Russell Hoban effort language history What a weird thing smoking is and I can't stop it. I feel cosy, have a sense of well-being when I'm smoking, poisoning myself, killing myself slowly. Not so slowly maybe. I have all kinds of pains I don't want to know about and I know that's what they're from. But when I don't smoke I scarcely feel as if I'm living. I don't feel as if I'm living unless I'm killing myself. Russell Hoban pain smoking want When I write a book, I don't have a plan or an outline. The characters move the action, and the action develops the characters. When I write a book, I become an actor, really, taking the role of the person who is speaking or acting at the time, and so their reactions to whatever they see are my reactions. Russell Hoban writing book moving After all, when you come right down to it, how many people speak the same language even when they speak the same language? Russell Hoban communication inspirational people Too-lateness, I realized, has nothing to do with age. It’s a relation of self to the moment. Or not, depending on the person and the moment. Perhaps there even comes a time when it’s no longer too late for anything. Perhaps, even, most times are too early for most things, and most of life has to go by before it’s time for almost anything and too late for almost nothing. Nothing to lose, the present moment to gain, the integration with long-delayed Now. Russell Hoban self age long Words have a life; without response they die. Russell Hoban response dies Usually my starting point is something that I've seen. It might be a painting, it might be an object. But they always start from a definite sensory experience. Russell Hoban painting My generation was somewhat between things, neither free nor much supported by whatever held us in. Russell Hoban my-generation generations Nothing to be done really about animals. Anything you do looks foolish. The answer isn't in us. It's almost as if were put here on earth to show how silly they aren't. Russell Hoban stupid loss silly There are situations in life to which the only satisfactory response is a physically violent one. If you don't make that response, you continually relive the unresolved situation over and over in your life. Russell Hoban situations-in-life violent violence I'll never retire. They'll have to take my computer out of my cold, dead hands. I'm addicted to writing. I feel physically unwell if I'm not doing it. Russell Hoban cold computer writing The things that matter don't necessarily make sense. Russell Hoban things-that-matter make-sense matter And now it seems she's on my wavelength. That's all I need. My mind isn't much of a comfort to me but at least I thought it was private. Russell Hoban philosophy history art Explorers have to be ready to die lost. Russell Hoban explorers ready lost The first thing I would say to young writers is, "Don't do it, unless you can't stand not to do it." And the second thing I would say is, "If you do do it, and get into it, the constant rule you should have in mind is to explore your material." It sounds simple, but it isn't, because people often want to get from A to B, and they don't stop to look at what is in the material. Russell Hoban simple mind people I believe that most of us would like to be thought well of by horses. Russell Hoban i-believe horse believe Is there an existence that is only mine? Russell Hoban conformity existence mines An idea is an eye given by God for the seeing of God. Some of these eyes we cannot bear to look out of; we blind them as quickly as possible. Russell Hoban eye god ideas A family is everybody all together. Russell Hoban girl together
