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
It struck me that distant cities are designed precisely so you can know where you came from.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding our roots helps us appreciate our journey.
This quote reflects the idea that the design of distant places serves a purpose: to remind us of our origins and the paths we have taken in life. It suggests that geography and distance are not just physical separations, but also provide perspective on our personal histories and the growth we achieve through our experiences.
Themes
RootsJourneyPerspectiveOriginGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a cultural festival, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of heritage.
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
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
I am of the opinion, and even more so the older I get, that it is more difficult to have hope than it is to despair. And I mean this in the sense that in order to have hope you must acknowledge the despair and then you have to get beyond it. Taken from a radio interview given on BBC Radio 4's Open Book
Colum MccannRead
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