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Quote by Ian Mcewan

“Observing human variety can give pleasure, but so too can human sameness.”

Quote by Ian Mcewan

Author

Ian Mcewan is a renowned British novelist known for his unique narrative techniques and profound insights into human nature. His works often explore themes such as moral dilemmas, historical events, and personal identity. Born on June 21, 1948, Mcewan's representative works include 'Atonement', 'Freedom', and 'Amsterdam'. more

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“But what really happened? The answer is simple: the lovers survive and flourish.”

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Book:Atonement

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“Narrative tension is primarily about withholding information.”

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“What reader wants to be told what attitude to strike?”

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“Our children will be born of our actions. Our accidents will become their destinies. Oh, the actions will remain. It is a simple matter of what you will do when the chips are down, my friend. When the fat lady is singing. When the walls are falling in, and the sky is dark, and the ground is rumbling. In that moment our actions will define us. And it makes no difference whether you are being watched by Allah, Jesus, Buddah, or whether you are not. On cold days a man can see his breath, on a hot day he can't. On both occasions, the man breathes.”

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“But it makes an immigrant laugh to hear the fears of the nationalist, scared of infection, penetration, miscegenation, when this is small fry, peanuts, compared to what the immigrant fears - dissolution, disappearance.”

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Book:White Teeth

Source: White Teeth

“Most of the cruelty in the world is just misplaced energy.”

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“Don’t romanticise your ‘vocation’. You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no ‘writer’s lifestyle’. All that matters is what you leave on the page.”

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“Sometimes I think my whole professional life has been based on this hunch I had, early on, that many people feel just as muddled as I do, and might be happy to tag along with me on this search for clarity, for precision. I love that aspect of writing. Nothing makes me happier than to hear a reader say: that’s just what I’ve always felt, but you said it clearly.”

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“I remember so clearly, in the early days, if I had to do a piece of press, they'd phone for me and say, 'Oh, we're going to bring hair and makeup, it'll take about five hours.' And I said, 'Well, if it was Ian McEwan, would it take about five hours? Would there be hair and makeup? Cause if that's not the case, then don't bring the hair and makeup.' So, it's fascinating that they just assume: it's a young woman, she must want to be photographed for five hours. She must have nothing better to do than delight in trying on all your shoes. But it's not the case.”

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“It's gotten to a point where everybody is concerned about their rights and nobody is concerned about their duties.”

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Author:Zadie Smith