Like every Canadian, I have been taught that one of the most important functions of art is to supply and elaborate the myths and narratives of nationhood. Miriam Toews More Quotes by Miriam Toews More Quotes From Miriam Toews Is it wrong to trust in a beautiful lie if it helps you get through life? Miriam Toews helping beautiful lying I learned another thing, which is that just because someone is eating the ashes of your protagonist doesn't mean you stop telling the story. Miriam Toews ashes stories mean Conversing with children is a fine art.... An art form that demands large amounts of both honesty and misdirection. Or maybe discretion is a better word. Miriam Toews honesty children art Things shouldn't hinge on so very little. Sneeze and you're highway carnage. Remove one tiny stone and you're an avalanche statistic. But I guess if you can die without ever understanding how it happened then you can also live without a complete understanding of how. And in a way that's kind of relaxing. Miriam Toews understanding stones life I had a thought, on the way home from the rock field, that the things we don't know about a person are the things that make them human, and it made me feel sad to think that, but sad in that reassuring way that some sadness has, a sadness that says welcome home in twelve different languages. Miriam Toews sadness home thinking Her faith in a loving and forgiving God is strong, but she worships laughter. Miriam Toews forgiving-god laughter strong It’s hard to grieve in a town where everything that happens is God’s will. It’s hard to know what to do with your emptiness when you’re not supposed to have emptiness. Miriam Toews emptiness towns grieving It's raining questions around here. A person could drown in them. Miriam Toews persons rain There are no windows within the dark house of depression through which to see others, only mirrors. Miriam Toews mirrors dark depression She was becoming sad. There is no joy involved in following others' expectations of yourself Miriam Toews becoming expectations joy But love, like a mushroom high compared with the buzz from cheap weed, outlasts grief. Miriam Toews weed mushrooms grief It was the first time that we had sort of articulated our major problem. She wanted to die and I wanted her to live and we were enemies who loved each other. Miriam Toews problem enemy firsts I love road trips. You get into this Zen rhythm; throw sense of time out the window. Miriam Toews road-trip rhythm window A few weeks ago my uncle came over to borrow my dad's socket set and when he asked my dad how he was my dad said oh unexceptional. Living quietly with my disappointments. And how are you Miriam Toews uncles dad disappointment Even a Menno sheltered from the world knows not to stick her tongue into the mouth of a boy who owns an Air Supply record. You might stick your tongue into the mouth of a boy who owned some Emerson, Lake and Palmer, but you would not date him on a regular basis, or openly. Miriam Toews air lakes boys After that we tried thirty-nine times to stand together on the tube until we finally did. It was fun. I liked the falling part, and holding hangs. Relationships were so easy when all you had to work on was standing up together. Miriam Toews together fun fall But whatever, we descendants of the Girl Line may not have wealth and proper windows in our drafty homes but at least we have rage and we will build empires with that, gentlemen. Miriam Toews gentleman girl home We Poor Cousins don’t care at all though, except for when we’re on welfare, broke, starving, unable to buy cool high-tops for our children or pay for their university tuition or purchase massive fourth homes on private islands with helicopter landing pads. But whatever, we descendants of the Girl Line may not have wealth and proper windows in our drafty homes but at least we have rage and we will build empires with that, gentlemen. Miriam Toews cousin girl children If, along the way, something is gained, then something will also be lost. Miriam Toews ifs lost way David Bergen is a master of taut, spare prose that's both erotic and hypnotic. . . . Miriam Toews prose erotic masters
