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John Burdett Quotes

Novelist

John Burdett, born on July 24, 1951, is a renowned novelist. His works, set in Thailand, delve into Thai culture, history, and social issues.

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All World Mind Body Buddhist Hard People Thinking Way West Advise

Famous John Burdett Quotes

“When you notice light seeping into your coffin, it's hard to go on pretending that you're still dead.”

Stills Hard Light Goes On Pretending Coffins

Author:John Burdett

“Just studying Buddhism, then meditating and going to Buddhist monasteries, talking to Buddhist monks, combined with the Thai people themselves, changed the way I look at the world.”

People World Way Looks Talking Study Changed Buddhism Buddhist Monk Meditating Monasteries Thai Buddhist Monk

Author:John Burdett

“The great weakness of the West is that it has nothing with which to inspire loyalty except wealth. But what is wealth? Another washing machine, a bigger car, a nicer house to live in? Not much to feed the spirit in all that.”

Spirit House Wealth Car Inspire Weakness Machines Bigger West Loyalty Washing Washing Machines

Author:John Burdett

“It is quite amazing how hard the subconscious works when it is made to understand that this life is not a rehearsal, there is no safety net and no assurance of any final closure. It is also quite appalling to realize how catatonic the imagination can become when we hedge our bets, opt for the safer direction at every fork in the path.”

Made Hard Life Is Realizing Imagination Path Safety Finals This Life Subconscious Assurance Rehearsal Forks Closure Safety Net

Author:John Burdett

“In Southeast Asia the world is understood to be a vast, complex network of interdependent relationships. So when global capitalism makes it impossible for small-time rice farmers to feed their families and make a living, it is a natural thing for anyone in the family who can find an alternative source of income to do so.”

World Natural Impossible Source Understood Capitalism Complexes Income Alternatives Farmers Asia Rice Natural Things Southeast Asia South Asia

Author:John Burdett

“I think it is immensely difficult to get the U.S. interested in non-U.S. topics. I dont think this is because the average American reader is disinterested, but more because of publishers playing it safe: if a thriller based in L.A. is a sure winner, why spend money plugging one based in Paris - or Bangkok?”

Ifs Thinking Difficult Reader Safe Average Winner Paris Topics Publishers Thrillers Disinterested Playing It Safe Bangkok

Author:John Burdett

“There are plenty of brilliant people who are too stressed out to read challenging literary novels.”

People Challenges Novel Brilliant Plenty Stressed Stressed Out

Author:John Burdett

“Las Vegas is the expression, in glitter and concrete, of Americas brittle and mutating id.”

Expression Concrete Vegas Las Vegas Glitter

Author:John Burdett

“The world other than as advertised can be an amazing place.”

World Amazing Places

Author:John Burdett

“To a Buddhist, contradictions only exist in a mind that has been forced to cultivate them.”

Mind Has Beens Buddhist Contradiction

Author:John Burdett

“Expecting to be wrong about most things most of the time brings, finally, the kind of humility that leads to peace. I think.”

Thinking Kind Humility Expecting

Author:John Burdett

“Shun security, I advise aspiring novelists when they complain to me that they are stuck. Get disoriented. Maybe your agonizing writing block isnt agonizing enough. Your enemy is comfort.”

Writing Enough Enemy Security Comfort Complaining Stuck Block Novelists Advise Agonizing

Author:John Burdett

“Your fear of letting go prevents you from letting go of your fear of letting go.”

Letting Go

Author:John Burdett

“I don't want enlightenment, I want him. Sorry Buddha, I loved him more than you.”

Want Enlightenment Sorry Want Him

Author:John Burdett

“Don't ask me when I first mastered the obvious.”

Firsts Asks Obvious Ask Me

Author:John Burdett

“You don't understand. I only prostitute the part of the body that isn't important, and nobody suffers except my karma a little bit. I don't do big harm. You prostitute your mind. Mind is seat of Buddha. What you do is very very bad. You should not use your mind in that way”

Way Should Mind Littles Important Use Body Bigs Suffering Bits Little Bit Harm Karma Seats Parts Of The Body

Author:John Burdett

“I am moonlighting for the Buddha.”

Author:John Burdett

“The function of the West is to turn bodies and minds into products. It cannot understand that the rest of the world holds this to be an obscenity, a corruption of our nirvanic nature.”

World Mind Body Turns Products Function West Corruption Mind And Body Obscenity

Book:Bangkok Haunts

Source: Bangkok Haunts

About the Author

Born: July 24, 1951
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 18

Books & Sources

Bangkok HauntsRelated source material

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