“I am writing you from inside a body that used to be yours. Which is to say, I am writing as a son.”
― On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
― On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.”
―
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.”
―
“No one can be independent of other people completely, so why not give up the attempt, she thought, go running in the other direction, depend on people for everything, allow them to depend on you, why not.”
― Normal People
― Normal People
“All these years, they’ve been like two little plants sharing the same plot of soil, growing around one another, contorting to make room, taking certain unlikely positions.”
― Normal People
― Normal People
“Marianne had the sense that her real life was happening somewhere very far away, happening without her, and she didn't know if she would ever find out where it was or become part of it.”
― Normal People
― Normal People
Our Shared Shelf
— 223403 members
— last activity 23 hours, 40 min ago
OUR SHARED SHELF IS CURRENTLY DORMANT AND NOT MANAGED BY EMMA AND HER TEAM. Dear Readers, As part of my work with UN Women, I have started reading ...more
Books Of Your Life with Elizabeth
— 1889 members
— last activity Sep 02, 2025 06:41AM
This is a place to discuss the books featured in the Books Of Your Life with Elizabeth podcast. Everyone is welcome. Please share! Subscribe to the ...more
Reading Glasses - Fan Group
— 3578 members
— last activity Nov 29, 2025 01:20PM
A group for readers who listen to the 'Reading Glasses' podcast - our own little community!! ...more
Nerdette Book Club
— 1032 members
— last activity Mar 02, 2023 11:52AM
A place to get together and chat as you read books chosen for the Nerdette Book Club.
Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine
— 169591 members
— last activity 2 hours, 25 min ago
Hey Y’all, We’ve been reading together for awhile and we don’t know about you, but we’re ready to hear your thoughts and opinions. This group is a pl ...more
Lidia’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Lidia’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Lidia
Lists liked by Lidia


























































