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Richard Flanagan

Richard Flanagan Quotes

Novelist

Richard Flanagan is an Australian novelist known for his profound character development and rich narrative techniques. His works often explore themes of history, family, and personal identity, with novels like 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' and 'The Rich Boy' receiving widespread acclaim.

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Famous Richard Flanagan Quotes

“The journey is long, the road is dark and frightening, but together we can reach our destination: the Tasmania of which we all dream, where all are welcome and all prosper, made no longer of lies but truth, built not of rich men's hate but our love for our island and for each other.”

Men Long Made Dream Together Lying Hate Dark Rich Environment Journey Built Welcome Islands Destination Frightening Our Love Rich Man Together We Can Tasmania

Author:Richard Flanagan

“The path to survival was to never give up on the small things.”

Giving Path Giving Up Survival Never Giving Up Small Things

Book:The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

Source: The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

“A good book ... leaves you wanting to reread the book. A great book compels you to reread your own soul.”

Book Soul Good Book Great Book

Book:The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

Source: The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

“Writing is not lying, nor is it theft. It is a journey and search for transparency between one’s words and one’s soul.”

Writing Art Soul Lying Journey Theft Transparency

Author:Richard Flanagan

“There are words and words and none mean anything. And then one sentence means everything.”

Mean Sentences One Sentence

Book:The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

Source: The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

“A happy man has no past, while an unhappy man has nothing else.”

Men Past Unhappy Happy Man

Book:The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

Source: The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

“The idea of the past is as useless as the idea of the future. Both could be invoked by anybody about anything. There is never any more beauty than there is now. There is no more joy or wonder or sorrow than there is now, nor perfection, nor any more evil nor any more good than there is now.”

Ideas Past Joy Evil Wonder Sorrow Perfection Useless

Book:Gould's Book of Fish

Source: Gould's Book of Fish

“Is it easier for a man to live his life again as a fish, than to accept the wonder of being human? So alone, so frightened, so wanting for what we are afraid to give tongue to.”

Men Giving Humans Art Accepting Wonder Easier Fishes Tongue Frightened Being Human

Author:Richard Flanagan

“We remember nothing. Maybe for a year or two. Maybe most of a life, if we live. Maybe. But then we will die, and who will ever understand any of this? And maybe we remember nothing most of all when we put our hands on our hearts and carry on about not forgetting.”

Ifs Years Heart Two Hands Remember Dies Forget

Book:The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

Source: The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

“I do not share the pessimism of the age about the novel. They are one of our greatest spiritual, aesthetic and intellectual inventions. As a species it is story that distinguishes us, and one of the supreme expressions of story is the novel. Novels are not content. Nor are they are a mirror to life or an explanation of life or a guide to life. Novels are life, or they are nothing.”

Stories Age Spiritual Novel Share Expression Intellectual Mirrors Species Guides Supreme Invention Explanation Pessimism Aesthetic

Author:Richard Flanagan

“Writing reminds you that you're never alone. Writing and reading is to be optimistic.”

Writing Art Reading Optimistic Being Optimistic Writing And Reading

Author:Richard Flanagan

“What reality was ever made by realists?”

Made Reality Realist

Book:The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

Source: The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novel

About the Author

Born: 1961
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 62

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Books & Sources

The Narrow Road to the Deep NorthRelated source material

Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve FishRelated source material

The Narrow Road to the Deep North: A novelRelated source material

Notes on an ExodusRelated source material

First PersonRelated source material

Gould's Book of FishRelated source material

Question 7Related source material

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