❝That of all the several ways of beginning a book which are now in practice throughout the known world, I am confident my own way of doing it is the best ─ I’m sure it is the most religious ─ for I begin with writing the first sentence ─ and trusting to Almighty God for the second.❞
─ Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, 1767
─ Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, 1767
"The object we call a book is not the real book, but its potential, like a musical score or seed. It exists fully only in the act of being read. And its real home is inside the head of the reader, where the symphony resounds and the seed germinates. A book is a heart that only beats in the chest of another."
– Rebecca Solnit, The Faraway Nearby
– Rebecca Solnit, The Faraway Nearby
"It's shameful, what Kevin did. Utterly damn shameful. And I'm worried about the club. It's been here almost seventy years, but I wouldn't like to bet it will be here next year. I'm worried people will try to blame the boy's actions on hockey if he gets found guilty. It's going to be all hockey's fault."
Ramona slaps him so quickly and hard across his ear that the fat old man almost falls off his barstool. The angry old bag on the other side of the bar snarls, "Is that why you're here? To talk about that? Sweet Jesus...you men. It's never your fault, is it? When are you going to admit that it isn't 'hockey' that raises these boys, it's YOU LOT? In every time and place, I've come across men who blame their own stupidity on crap they themselves have invented. 'Religion causes wars,' 'guns kill people,' it's all the same old bullshit!"
"I didn't mean─" Sune begins, but has to duck when she tries to slap him again.
"Keep your trap shut when I'm talking! Fucking men! YOU'RE the problem! Religion doesn't fight, guns don't kill, and you need to be very fucking clear that hockey has never raped anyone! But do you know who do? Fight and kill and rape?"
Sune clears his throat. "Men?"
"MEN! It's always fucking men!"
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So far I'm really, really loving Beartown by Fredrik Backman. (ღ˘ᴗ˘ღ)
