“From quite early on, I had this idea of compartmentalized identities - 'this is how you are when you are with your mum, and this is how you are when you are with your dad' - so it seemed like I could never absolutely be myself. And the image of myself as compromised and inconsistent made me want to withdraw from the world even further. I had a sense of formulating a paper-mache version of myself to send out in the world, while I sat controlling it remotely from some smug suburban barracks.”
― My Booky Wook
― My Booky Wook
“Of all the consumer products, chewing gum is perhaps the most ridiculous: it literally has no nourishment – you just chew it to give yourself something to do with your stupid idiot Western mouth.
Half the world is starving, and the other’s going, ‘I don’t actually need any nutrition, but it would be good to masticate, just to keep my mind off things.”
― My Booky Wook
Half the world is starving, and the other’s going, ‘I don’t actually need any nutrition, but it would be good to masticate, just to keep my mind off things.”
― My Booky Wook
“It was in these sessions that I first came across the "To my shame" technique...You can get away with any admission, however appalling, so long as it's preceded by the words "to my shame."
...The self-accusatory prefix robs the listener of the right to disapprove...
SANS "TO MY SHAME."
I used to exploit women because I couldn't cope with being alone...
CORRECT RESPONSE. He didn't say "to my shame!" You bastard! You viscious selfish bastard.
It's like "Simon Says" for junkies.”
― My Booky Wook
...The self-accusatory prefix robs the listener of the right to disapprove...
SANS "TO MY SHAME."
I used to exploit women because I couldn't cope with being alone...
CORRECT RESPONSE. He didn't say "to my shame!" You bastard! You viscious selfish bastard.
It's like "Simon Says" for junkies.”
― My Booky Wook
Siobhan’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Siobhan’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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