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Quote by Brian Evenson

Work

The Open Curtain

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Author

Brian Evenson
Brian Evenson

Brian Evenson is an American writer born on August 12, 1966. Known for his surrealistic and Gothic style, his works delve into the darker aspects of human nature. Evenson's writing spans short stories, novels, and short story collections, exploring various themes and narratives. more

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“Out here, without the clouds of cigar smoke, there was nothing to compete with the scent of the rich wood panelling, the preparation of savory foods somewhere off in the house and, over that, the subtle sweetness of the more polite Argyll's cologne. It wasn't like the bottle I slipped under Charlie's pillow every Christmas Eve, not quite so familiar. This had a sweeter edge to it, the difference between flowers and berries.”

CologneCiaran Argyll
Book:Since You've Been Gone (Hqn)
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“...the moral world, that has, perhaps, no particular objection to vice, but an insuperable repugnance to hearing vice called by its proper name. There are things we do and know perfectly well in Vanity Fair, though we never speak of them: as the Ahrimanians worship the devil, but don't mention him: and a polite public will no more bear to read an authentic description of vice than a truly refined English or American female will permit the word breeches to be pronounced in her chaste hearing. And yet, madam, both are walking the world before our faces every day, without much shocking us. If you were to blush every time they went by, what complexions you would have!”

TabooViceAppropriateness
Book:Vanity Fair
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“Appropriate. The absurdity of the word struck me and I almost scoffed aloud. What, if anything, in our life was appropriate? We killed to live, we lied and cheated and took lovers, we slipped from town to town like ghosts, draining the populace of their money and blood before moving on. Not a month ago we had brought two young men home with us from the streets and taken our pleasure with them before draining them dry in our wedding bed. I had given up appropriate when I had given up my ability to eat mortal food, to walk abroad in the sun.”

Appropriateness
Book:A Dowry of Blood
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