“You should dream more. Reality in our century is not something to be faced.”
― Our Man in Havana
― Our Man in Havana
“This day fifty years ago I was born. From solitude in the Womb, we emerge into solitude among our Fellows, and return again to solitude within the Grave. We pass our lives in the attempt to mitigate that solitude. But propinquity is never fusion. We exchange Words, but exchange them from prison to prison, and without hope that they will signify to others what they mean to ourselves. We marry and there are two solitudes in the house instead of one; we beget children, and there are many solitudes. We reiterate the act of love; but again propinquity is never fusion. The most intimate contact is only of Surfaces, and we couple, as I have seen the condemned Prisoners at Newgate coupling with their Trulls, between the bars of our cages. Pleasure cannot be shared; like Pain, it can only be experienced or inflicted, and when we give pleasure to our lover or bestow Charity upon the Needy, we do so, not to gratify the object of our Benevolence, but only ourselves. For the Truth is that we are kind for the same reason as we are cruel, in order that we may enhance the sense of our own Power; and this we are for ever trying to do, despite the fact that by doing it we cause ourselves to feel more solitary than ever. The reality of Solitude is the same in all men, there being no mitigation of it, except in Forgetfulness, Stupidity or Illusion; but a man's sense of Solitude is proportionate to the sense and fact of his Power. In anz set of circumstances, the more Power we have, the more intensely do we feel our solitude. I have enjoyed much Power in my life.”
― After Many a Summer Dies the Swan
― After Many a Summer Dies the Swan
“Fear comes from the lack of knowledge and a state of ignorance. The best remedy for fear is to gain knowledge.”
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“Time is never wasted if you remember to bring along something to read.”
― Against the Day
― Against the Day
David’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at David’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
Favorite Genres
Classics, Crime, Ebooks, Graphic novels, Horror, Music, Mystery, Philosophy, Poetry, and Science fiction
Polls voted on by David
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