The measure of artistic merit is the length to which a writer is willing to go in following his own compulsions. John Updike More Quotes by John Updike More Quotes From John Updike It is easy to love people in memory; the hard thing is to love them when they are there in front of you. John Updike lovely memories people Inspiration arrives as a packet of material to be delivered. John Updike materials inspiration literature Perfectionism is the enemy of creation, as extreme self- solitude is the enemy of well- being. John Updike acceptance perfection self Existence itself does not feel horrible; it feels like an ecstasy, rather, which we have only to be still to experience. John Updike experience doe life Dreams come true; without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them. John Updike dream success positive Do what the heart commands. The heart is our only guide. John Updike guides guidance heart Life is a roller coaster, you have your ups and downs unless you fall off. John Updike roller-coaster life fall Writers may be disreputable, incorrigible, early to decay or late to bloom but they dare to go it alone. John Updike decay success writing Living is a compromise, between doing what you want and doing what other people want. John Updike doing-what-you-want compromise people I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam in everybody's head. John Updike novelists writing book Looking foolish does the spirit good. The need not to look foolish is one of youth's many burdens; as we get older we are exempted from more and more. John Updike doe looks needs I like old men. They can be wonderful bastards because they have nothing to lose. The only people who can be themselves are babies and old bastards. John Updike baby men people Among the repulsions of atheism for me has been its drastic un-interestingness as an intellectual position. Where was the ingenuity, the ambiguity, the humanity of saying that the universe just happened to happen and that when we're dead we're dead? John Updike atheist intellectual humanity Sex is like money; only too much is enough. John Updike funny-money too-much sex The artist brings something into the world that didn't exist before, and he does it without destroying something else. John Updike artist doe world Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life. John Updike rain sky life In a country this large and a language even larger ... there ought to be a living for somebody who cares and wants to entertain and instruct a reader. John Updike who-cares writing country If you have the guts to be yourself, other people'll pay your price. John Updike being-yourself pay people Government [is] an illusion the governed should not encourage. John Updike illusion government should Being naked approaches being revolutionary; going barefoot is mere populism. John Updike naked revolutionary beauty
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