“Some people', Miss R. said,'run to conceits or wisdom but I hold to the hard, brown, nutlike word. I might point out that there is enough aesthetic excitement here to satisfy anyone but a damned fool.” PeopleSaidHardEnoughMightRunningMissingFoolExcitementBrownAestheticConceit Author:Donald Barthelme
“His examiner said severely: "Baskerville, you blank round, discursiveness is not literature." "The aim of literature," Baskerville replied grandly, "is the creation of a strange object covered with fur which breaks your heart."” HeartSaidLiteratureBreakCreationObjectsStrangeAimRoundsCoveredBlankFurBreak Your Heart Author:Donald Barthelme
“Take me home," Snow White said. "Take me home instantly. If there is anything worse than being home, it is being out.” IfsSaidHomeWhiteSnowTake MeSnow White Book:Snow White Source: Snow White
“Will you be wanting to contest the divorce?" I asked Mrs. Davis. "I should think not," she said calmly, "although I suppose on of us should, for the fun of the thing. An uncontested divorce always seems to me contrary to the spirit of divorce.” ThinkingShouldSaidSeemsSpiritFunDivorceContraryContests Book:Sixty stories Source: Sixty stories
“"I smell fennel," Launcelot said. "That reminds me, I should tell you I have discovered a specific for maims. You take salt, good-quality river mud, and bee urine, and slather it on the maim and hold it there for two days. Works like a charm. Gathering the bee urine is a bit of a bore."” ShouldSaidTwoBitsQualityRiversSmellCharmSaltBeesBoresMudGatheringTwo DaysGood Quality Author:Donald Barthelme
“"How does one conquer fear, Don B.?" "One takes a frog and sews it to one's shoe," he said. "The left or the right?" Don B. gave me a pitying look. "Well, you'd look mighty funny going down the street with only one frog sewed to your shoes, wouldn't you?" he said. "One frog on each shoe."” WellsLooksDoeSaidLeftStreetsShoesConquerFrogsConquering Fear Author:Donald Barthelme
“As Jules Renard said, no matter how much care an author takes to write as few books as possible, there will be people who haven't heard of some of them.” PeopleWritingSaidBookMatterCareHeardHavens Book:Flying to America: 45 More Stories Source: Flying to America: 45 More Stories
“Is death that which gives meaning to life? And I said, no, life is that which gives meaning to life.” GivingSaidLife IsMeaning Life Author:Donald Barthelme
