“Through art alone are we able to emerge from ourselves, to know what another person sees of a universe which is not the same as our own and of which, without art, the landscapes would remain as unknown to us as those that may exist on the moon. Thanks to art, instead of seeing one world only, our own, we see that world multiply itself and we have at our disposal as many worlds as there are original artists, worlds more different one from the other than those which revolve in infinite space, worlds which, centuries after the extinction of the fire from which their light first emanated, whether it is called Rembrandt or Vermeer, send us still each one its special radiance.”
― In Search of Lost Time, Vol 6: Time Regained and A Guide to Proust
― In Search of Lost Time, Vol 6: Time Regained and A Guide to Proust
“Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say “My tooth is aching” than to say “My heart is broken.”
― The Problem of Pain
― The Problem of Pain
“The sadness of the world has different ways of getting to people, but it seems to succeed almost every time.”
― Journey to the End of the Night
― Journey to the End of the Night
“Depression is melancholy minus its charms.”
― Illness as Metaphor
― Illness as Metaphor
Ollie’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Ollie’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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