In 25 years of writing novels, I've never had anything that felt like writer's block. Richard Powers More Quotes by Richard Powers More Quotes From Richard Powers What I really like to learn how to do is to build sentences that are equal to mental states. Richard Powers sentences equal states Librarian is a service occupation. Gas station attendant of the mind. Richard Powers thought-provoking reading book Reading is the last act of secular prayer. Richard Powers lasts reading prayer All we can ever do is lay a word in the hands of those who have put one in ours. Richard Powers lays hands Science is not about control. It is about cultivating a perpetual condition of wonder in the face of something that forever grows one step richer and subtler than our latest theory about it. It is about reverence, not mastery. Richard Powers mastery faces forever We will live with racism for ever. But senses of self, senses of belonging, senses of us and of others? Those are up for grabs. Richard Powers senses racism self Music forecasts the past, recalls the future. Now and then the difference falls away, and in one simple gift of circling sound, the ear solves the scrambled cryptogram. One abiding rhythm, present and always, and you're free. But a few measures more, and the cloak of time closes back around you. Richard Powers simple past fall I keep a quotes journal - of every sentence that I've wanted to remember from my reading of the past 30 years. Richard Powers reading past years We don't consider the roles that we're taking in making the world the way it is. Richard Powers roles way world I write the way you might arrange flowers. Not every try works, but each one launches another. Every constraint, even dullness, frees up a new design. Richard Powers design flower writing I would say the flip side to my fascination with systems is a fascination with components. So many of my books are dialogues between little and big. Richard Powers fascination littles book The use of music is to remind us how short a time we have a body. Richard Powers music-is body use The job of taste was to thin the insane torrent of human creativity down to manageable levels. But the job of appetite was never to be happy with taste. Richard Powers creativity insane jobs I'd like, each time out as a writer, to reinvent who I am and what I'm doing. That's one of the great pleasures and rewards of the occupation. Richard Powers rewards occupation who-i-am I used to work for 12 or 14 hours at a time but the digital age has made such happy immersions almost impossible. Richard Powers digital age impossible I don't mind arguing with myself. It's when I lose that it bothers me. Richard Powers bother mind arguing I really like science because it seems to be that place where you get the big picture, everything connects. Richard Powers big-picture bigs seems All the different ways we know the world all come from the brain, and they all depend on each other to make sense. Richard Powers different brain world For me, university was just awful because it was closing one door after the other of all these candy shops of professional possibilities. Richard Powers possibility awful doors The web: yet another total disorientation that becomes status quo without anyone realizing it. Richard Powers disorientation status-quo realizing
