Nithya Narayanan

“confess that I admired him, even though he was my enemy. It is always better to admire the best among our foes rather than the worst among our friends. Wouldn’t you agree, Commandant?”
― Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer

“we value the arts and humanities not simply for the material possibilities and rewards they may bring, like a Pulitzer Prize. Rather, we should value the arts and humanities for their privileging of the mystery and intuition that makes moments of revelation and innovation possible.”
― Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Refugees

“The economic interests of the unwanted and the fearful middle class are aligned—but so many can’t see that because of how much they fear the different, the refugee, the immigrant. In its most naked form, this is racism. In a more polite form, it takes the shape of defending one’s culture, where one would rather remain economically poor but ethnically pure.”
― Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Refugees

“Agnes never questions these moments of insight, the way information arrives in her head. She accepts them as a person might an unexpected gift, with a gracious smile and a feeling of benign surprise.”
― Maggie O'Farrell, Hamnet