I mean, every novel's a historical novel anyway. But calling something a historical novel seems to put mittens on it, right? It puts manners on it. And you don't want your novels to be mannered.
Colum MccannRead
The contemporary American novelist benefits in a way from being ignored. It makes you angrier and makes you want to go into all of those places where you shouldn't.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being overlooked can fuel a writer's passion and drive for exploration and expression.
Colum McCann suggests that contemporary American novelists often find themselves in a position where their work goes unnoticed, which can ignite a sense of anger and rebellion within them. This overlooked state encourages them to delve into unconventional themes and places in their writing, pushing the boundaries of their creativity and exploration.
Themes
ArtCreativityWritingExplorationRebellion
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about the struggles of modern authors at a literary festival.
More from Colum Mccann
All quotes βGoodness was more difficult than evil. Evil men knew that more than good men. That's why they became evil. That's why it stuck with them. Evil was for those who could never reach the truth. It was a mask for stupidity and lack of love. Even if people laughed at the notion of goodness, if they found it sentimental, or nostalgic, it didn't matter -- it was none of those things, he said, and it had to be fought for.
Colum MccannRead
She takes another long haul, lets the smoke settle in her lungs-- she has heard somewhere that cigarettes are good for grief. One long drag and you forget how to cry. The body too busy dealing with the poison.
Colum MccannRead
It was a silence that heard itself, awful and beautiful.
Colum MccannRead
It struck me that distant cities are designed precisely so you can know where you came from.
Colum MccannRead
And I suddenly think, as I look across the table at him, that these are the days as they will be. This is the future as we see it. The swerve and the static. The confidence and the doubt.
Colum MccannRead
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