“Whatever teaches us to talk to ourselves is important: whatever teaches us to sing ourselves out of despair. But the painting has also taught me that we can speak to each other across time. And I feel I have something very serious and urgent to say to you, my non-existent reader, and I feel I should say it as urgently as if I were standing in the room with you. That life—whatever else it is—is short. That fate is cruel but maybe not random. That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it. That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open. And”
― The Goldfinch
― The Goldfinch
“After all, the purpose of learning isn’t to affirm our beliefs; it’s to evolve our beliefs.”
― Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
― Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
“If someone asks you how you are, you are meant to say FINE. You are not meant to say that you cried yourself to sleep last night because you hadn't spoken to another person for two consecutive days. FINE is what you say.”
― Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
― Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
“Thinking like a scientist involves more than just reacting with an open mind. It means being actively open-minded. It requires searching for reasons why we might be wrong—not for reasons why we must be right—and revising our views based on what we learn.”
― Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
― Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
“Whenever “everyone” is doing something, I seek to avoid it. But whenever someone tells me not to do something, that thing has a way of becoming the only thing that I want to do. I”
― Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
― Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
SLG Bookclub!
— 7 members
— last activity Nov 09, 2016 07:29AM
Fellow SLGer's! Join us in our book club escapades and we can recommend books to each other. It'll be rad. ...more
Margaret’s 2025 Year in Books
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