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
I'm not interested in blind optimism, but I'm very interested in optimism that is hard-won, that takes on darkness and then says, 'This is not enough.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the value of realistic optimism that confronts challenges rather than ignoring them.
Colum McCann highlights a profound distinction between empty positivity and a form of optimism that is earned through struggle. He suggests that true optimism emerges from acknowledging and confronting darkness, leading to a deeper, more meaningful sense of hope that acknowledges the difficulties of life while still striving for betterment.
Themes
OptimismDarknessStruggleHopeRealism
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about resilience, one might use this quote to illustrate the journey from despair to hope.
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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