Home / Quotes / Quote by Martin Amis

Quote by Martin Amis

“Steven Pinker says, the invention of printing and the widespread appearance of fiction - this taught empathy. If you read a novel, you're in someone else's head, in three, five different people's heads. Suddenly, the principle of "Don't do anything to anyone that you wouldn't want done to you" becomes real in people's minds. That's a fantastic achievement if fiction is indeed partly responsible for it. That's a great thing to be a part of. In the end, then, I don't know if writers have legislated, but they have civilized.”

Quote by Martin Amis

Author

Martin Amis is a British novelist known for his satirical and darkly humorous writing. His works often explore the moral dilemmas of modern society and the complexities of individual identity. Born on August 25, 1949, Amis is considered an important figure in British literature. more

You May Also Like

“In the UK, everything is a bit older and a bit more worn-out, and the people are a bit more tired. You know. I think Americans are a bit looser, a bit more out to have a fun time.”

People Thinking Fun Tired Fun Times

Author:Ida Maria

“It's the best thing in the world to be onstage, but not when you can barely stand up.”

Author:Ida Maria

“"Ageism" or whatever you want to call it, is a very English phenomenon. You don't get it too much in many other cultures. And no one says it about authors or poets or filmmakers. "Oh, they're too old to make films or write books." You know what I mean?”

Writing Mean Book Film Culture Poet Filmmaker Phenomenon

Author:Paul Weller

“I spent so much time at Escuela Caribe denying my true emotions and avoiding conflict that I became unsure of what my feelings really were. This is something that affects me to this day. I feel extremely uncomfortable during arguments, to the point of shutting down and not saying anything, like a turtle retracting into its shell. I can't stand conflict.”

Feelings Emotion Conflict Argument Uncomfortable This Day Avoiding Unsure

Author:Julia Scheeres

“I didn't fit into the Christian college my parents sent me to. I felt tarnished by tragedy, between my brother's death and Escuela Caribe, and everyone else seemed so carefree and happy and praising God. I couldn't stand happy people for a long time, and was plagued by chronic migraines and stomach aches. I'd say between age thirteen and twenty-three was the most miserable time of my life. I wrote Jesus Land because I wanted there to be a record of David's life. I was surprised that so many people read it, and felt moved by it.”

People Long Age Christian Jesus Parent College Fit Tragedy Praise Moved Miserable Thirteen Happy People Praise God Carefree Migraine

Author:Julia Scheeres

“As kids, my brother David and I longed for acceptance. We were desperate to belong. We would have been thrilled to see the pews of Jones's church in San Francisco, with blacks and whites sitting side by side. And Jim Jones's sermons on social justice and equality would have had much greater appeal to us than the soporific morality tales we were accustomed to hearing. Jones promised real racial equality. He promised to create a truly equal community in the jungle in Guyana.”

Real Kids Community Church Justice Acceptance Brother Morality Equal Social Justice My Brother Desperate Jungle

Author:Julia Scheeres

“I was working on a satirical novel about a charismatic preacher who takes over a small Indiana town. Then I remembered Jim Jones was from Indiana and Googled him. I learned that the FBI had recently released all the documents that agents collected from Jonestown after the massacre - over 50,000 pieces of paper and almost 1,000 audio tapes. I started reading the files and couldn't tear myself away; I find "true" stories inherently more powerful than fiction.”

Reading Powerful Novel Tears Preacher Fbi True Story Satirical Charismatic Over 50

Author:Julia Scheeres

“My parents subscribed to both Time and Newsweek and in 1978, I remember the covers of both that December were of the bodies in the jungle. The fact that many of the people who drank the cyanide - as well as Jim Jones himself - were originally from Indiana, that stayed with me. I wanted to know why they did such a baffling, horrendous thing, why they would kill their children.”

People Children Remember Parent Jungle Drank December

Author:Julia Scheeres

“Jim Jones started out as a civil rights crusader in Indianapolis. As a young preacher in the mid-50s, he used members of his congregation to integrate lunch counters and all-white churches in rich neighborhoods; they'd just march in and sit down at the pews and see what happened. Often they were received with racist insults, and once with a bomb threat. But the fact that you had this charismatic, white man, aggressively promoting racial equality, was a huge draw for African Americans, many of whom felt the Civil Rights Movement had stalled by the late 60s.”

Men Church Rich Threat Civil Rights African American Insult Neighborhood Racist March Preacher Civil Rights Movement Integrating Charismatic

Author:Julia Scheeres

“Jonestown was supposed to be a great socialist experiment, a place where all the evil "isms" would be eradicated: racism, sexism, elitism. This appealed to blacks and white progressives alike. Fed up with racist "AmeriKKKa," they were going to start their own society, on their own terms.”

Evil Term Racism Racist Sexism Socialist Fed Up Elitism

Author:Julia Scheeres