Michèle Demoete
https://www.goodreads.com/awomanofnoimportance
“The worst part is wondering how you’ll find the strength tomorrow to go on doing what you did today and have been doing for much too long, where you’ll find the strength for all that stupid running around, those projects that come to nothing, those attempts to escape from crushing necessity, which always founder and serve only to convince you one more time that destiny is implacable, that every night will find you down and out, crushed by the dread of more and more sordid and insecure tomorrows. And maybe it’s treacherous old age coming on, threatening the worst. Not much music left inside us for life to dance to. Our youth has gone to the ends of the earth to die in the silence of the truth. And where, I ask you, can a man escape to, when he hasn’t enough madness left inside him? The truth is an endless death agony. The truth is death. You have to choose: death or lies. I’ve never been able to kill myself.”
―
―
“The horror! The horror!”
― Heart of Darkness
― Heart of Darkness
“Cheshire Puss,' [Alice] began, rather timidly, "`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
Alice didn't think that proved it at all; however, she went on `And how do you know that you're mad?'
To begin with,' said the Cat, `a dog's not mad. You grant that?'
I suppose so,' said Alice.
Well, then,' the Cat went on, `you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.”
―
Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
Alice didn't think that proved it at all; however, she went on `And how do you know that you're mad?'
To begin with,' said the Cat, `a dog's not mad. You grant that?'
I suppose so,' said Alice.
Well, then,' the Cat went on, `you see, a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.”
―
“It seems to me I am trying to tell you a dream--making a vain attempt, because no relation of a dream can convey the dream-sensation, that commingling of absurdity, surprise, and bewilderment in a tremor of struggling revolt, that notion of being captured by the incredible which is of the very essence of dreams...No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one's existence--that which makes its truth, its meaning--its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream-alone...”
― Heart of Darkness
― Heart of Darkness
Book Club - Paris
— 798 members
— last activity Jul 16, 2025 07:34AM
An English language book group located in Paris. Open to both fiction & non-fiction selections. Anyone can join, meetings will be in Paris. ...more
Michèle ’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Michèle ’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Michèle
Lists liked by Michèle

















