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Quote by Paul Auster

“Six days ago, a man blew himself up by the side of a road in northern Wisconsin. There were no witnesses, but it appears that he was sitting on the grass next to his parked car when the bomb he was building accidentally went off.”

Quote by Paul Auster

Work

Leviathan

Leviathan is a seminal work in political philosophy, examining the relationship between the ruler and the ruled, the nature of government, and the social contract. It argues for the absolute power of the sovereign and the necessity of a strong central authority to maintain order and stability in society. more

Author

Paul Auster
Paul Auster

Paul Auster is an American author known for his unique narrative style and philosophical reflections. His works often explore themes of identity, memory, and reality, and have won him a wide audience. more

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“E lì, nel mezzo del mio salotto, c’era un coyote a quattro zampe con il pelo giallastro; la porta d’ingresso era ancora spalancata. Rimasi pietrificato. Il coyote alzò la testa, mi studiò per qualche secondo e sollevò una zampa tinta di bianco per grattare l’aria tra noi. Non saprei dire quanto siamo rimasti in quella posizione ad annusarci, ma alla fine ho avuto il buon senso di dire con voce tagliente: «Vattene, via, sciò.» Temevo che la mia voce non avrebbe funzionato. E il coyote lo fece, voltandosi lentamente come un cane che aveva ricevuto una ramanzina; tornò verso la porta principale in quella che era diventata un’andatura spavalda, prima di lanciarsi in una corsa vera e propria sulle strisce di prato che separavano la casa dal vialetto e di infiltrarsi nell’erba alta dove vidi il suo pelo bianco-giallo spuntare di tanto in tanto in mezzo ai fiori selvatici. Poi chiusi la porta col lucchetto, una cosa che faccio raramente, eppure la feci. Mi sedetti, e rimasi immobile a lungo. Mi fissai le mani. Mi sentivo vivo, sentivo ogni fibra del corpo che vibrava, ogni atomo energizzato, il sangue che scorreva spavaldo. Vivo qui, ho scelto di vivere qui, perché qui la vita mi sembra reale. Autentica, genuina... non lo so, fattibile. Magari si sentono tutti così, magari no.”

“When's your birthday?" I asked. "The twentieth of April." "A Taurus." "A what?" she asked. "Astrology. Do you follow it?" "Not only do I not follow it, I've never even heard of it." I paused, wondering if the girl was kidding, but I didn't detect a note of sarcasm in her voice. "I'm from Milwaukee- we don't believe things like that there, either. It's all hocus-pocus if you ask me." "Milwaukee's in Wisconsin. Wisconsin's capital is Madison. Its state bird is the robin and it's known as the Dairy State because it produces more cheese and milk than any other state," she said, as if reading from a teleprompter. "This thing called astrology- what is it exactly?" "That's a good question," I said. "It has something to do with the stars. I've never really understood it, either." "You mean astronomy, then?" "No, they're two different things- astrology and astronomy." "So what are you in astrology terms?" "A Scorpio." "A scorpion. In other words, you're an eight-legged, venomous creature to be wary of?" Her tone was deadpan. "No poison here, just a nice guy from Milwaukee." She let out a jovial laugh. She was a curious creature, and I was intrigued. Her manner of speech was officious and old-fashioned. She was interested and reserved, insecure and confident, coy and bold. She was unlike anyone I had ever met.”

“I like to try new recipes. I'm mastering Wisconsin cuisine." Ray wanted to keep her talking, discover more about her and why she kept popping up wherever he went. "Wisconsin cuisine? Is that even a thing?" Sabrina asked. He smiled. "Have some state pride. You know, kringle, booyah, fish boils, cheese curds. Do you have a favorite?" Sabrina took a few breaths before responding. "Kringle... and anything with cheese.”

“Cookies, turkey, stuffing, homemade candies. Leftovers become special treats. And so many cheese-and-sausage platters--- it wasn't a holiday party in Wisconsin without one. For the hard-core Wisconsin-ites, there were the cannibal sandwiches--- raw ground beef on rye bread topped with raw onion. Astra preferred throwing one on the grill, but her dad loved them as is.”