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Quote by Daniel Kehlmann

“You say fate is almost indispensable to literature - I think it's completely indispensable, at least in a novel, because a novel always has a plot. Even if nothing happens, even if someone just spends a day walking around Dublin, or whatever, there's still something going on.”

Quote by Daniel Kehlmann

Author

Daniel Kehlmann

Daniel Kehlmann, born on January 13, 1975, is an acclaimed Austrian author known for his unique perspective and profound thinking across various fields such as history, philosophy, and literature. more

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“So the fact that there's someone who's planning what happens to the characters, writing it down, means that the characters always have a fate. And when we think about fate, we tend think of it as the thing we would have if we were literary characters, that is, if there were somebody out there, writing us.”

Ifs Thinking Writing Mean Character Facts Happens Fate Planning Literary Characters

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“When I look at life I try to be as agnostic and unmetaphysical as possible. So I have to admit that, most probably, we do not have a fate. But I think that's something that draws us to novels - that the characters always have a fate. Even if it's a terrible fate, at least they have one.”

Ifs Thinking Trying Looks Character Novel Fate Terrible Draws Agnostic

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“We think in terms of fate even if we don't believe in it. Even something as trivial as missing the bus - we think: Well, it might be good for something. We always have that thought, no matter how critical we try to be. The idea that everything is always total chance - we're not made for that.”

Ifs Thinking Trying Believe Wells Made Ideas Matter Might Term Chance Fate Missing Don't Believe Critical Be Good Bus

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“Exactly as we might ask God, and do ask God, to change our fate. The difference is that in the story the writer actually replies and in the end even changes his mind.”

Mind Ends Stories Might Asks Differences Fate

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“One of the points where the art world is at its most metaphysical is in this weird aspect of the power of the expert. There are experts who claim they cannot be fooled because they have an inner connection to an artist and can feel whether something is genuine or fake. I've heard experts say, on panels: When it comes to my period, or my painters, I cannot be fooled. And of course that's completely ridiculous.”

World Feels Art Artist Courses Heard Periods Aspect Connections Claims Ridiculous Genuine Painter Fake Experts Metaphysical Fooled Art World

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“It's also one of these strange points where metaphysics converges with economy. Because really what the experts are doing is creating value by banishing doubt. All great dead painters basically have this one person, this expert who has the metaphysical power to grant a seal of authenticity.”

Persons Values Economy Doubt Strange Creating Authenticity Painter Experts Grants Metaphysics Metaphysical Seals Creating Value

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“I think that's just what happens when you write a big bestseller. After that you need to find out: What's the best way to go on? And the worst thing you could do would be to try to repeat the formula. That would be suffocating.”

Thinking Way Needs Writing Trying Bigs Happens Would Be Worst Goes On Best Way Repeats Formulas Worst Things Suffocating

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“I'm trying to exploit the bestseller, in a way, but not in the sense of repeating the formula. It's just that the bestseller did so well economically that now I'm freer to do what I want to do, or to try out what I want to try out.”

Way Want Trying Wells Formulas Exploits

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“German can take a lot more pathos than English can. When you say "pathetic" in English it's a disparaging term, but when you say "pathetisch" in German it's just a description, not necessarily negative. That says a lot already.”

Term Negative Description Pathetic Pathos Disparaging

Author:Daniel Kehlmann

“Most people are satisfied with the junk food being sold as music.”

People Satisfied Junk Junk Food

Author:Billy Joel