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Books don't live and die by awards. You don't listen to an Hector Lavoe album because it won some awards.
Junot Diaz
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The value of books and music lies in their content, not their accolades.

Junot Diaz emphasizes that the true worth of artistic works, such as books and music, should be judged by their intrinsic qualities and the emotional or intellectual experiences they provide, rather than by the awards they have received. This reflects a broader understanding of art as an expression of creativity and connection, rather than a competition for recognition.

Themes

BooksAwardsMusicValueArt

In practice

Example use cases

During a book club discussion, you might use this quote to spark a conversation about the importance of storytelling over accolades.

More from Junot Diaz

Artists are not cheerleaders, and we're not the heads of tourism boards. We expose and discuss what is problematic, what is contradictory, what is hurtful and what is silenced in the culture we're in.
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Run a hand through your hair, like the white boys do, even though the only thing that runs easily through your hair is Africa.
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I can see myself watching him shave every morning. And at other time I see us in that house and see how one bright day (or a day like this, so cold your mind shifts every time the wind does) he will wake up and decide it's all wrong. I'm sorry, he'll say. I have to leave now.
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Migration gives a blank cheque to put anything you don't feel like addressing in the memory hold. No neighbours can go against the monster narrative of your family.
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We all dream dreams of unity, of purity; we all dream that there's an authoritative voice out there that will explain things, including ourselves.
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I think 90% of my ideas evaporate because I have a terrible memory and because I seem to be committed to not scribble anything down. As soon as I write it down, my mind rejects it.
Junot DiazRead

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