A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.
Neil GaimanRead
Agnes was the worst prophet that's ever existed. Because she was always right. That's why the book never sold.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote humorously highlights the irony of being a 'prophet' who is always correct, suggesting that honesty can be detrimental to success.
In this quote, Neil Gaiman conveys a humorous and ironic perspective on prophecy and success. Agnes, despite her accurate predictions, fails to achieve success because her unwavering correctness contrasts with the common expectation of a prophet, emphasizing that sometimes, telling the truth can alienate rather than attract an audience. This reflects the idea that in certain contexts, especially in creative endeavors, being too honest or accurate can hinder popularity and acceptance.
Themes
ProphetSuccessIronyTruthHumor
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a discussion about the challenges of being honest in business.
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As a teenager I wrote to R.A. Lafferty. And he responded, too, with letters that were like R.A. Lafferty short stories, filled with elliptical answers to straight questions and simple answers to complicated ones.
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The important thing to understand about American history, wrote Mr. Ibis, in his leather-bound journal, is that it is fictional, a charcoal-sketched simplicity for the children, or the easily bored.
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Nothing’s changed. You’ll go home. You’ll be bored. You’ll be ignored. No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand. They don’t even get your name right.
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I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend.
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