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Miriam Toews Quotes

There was no freer soul in the world than me at age nine Picture Quote #1

The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it’s not even a conscious searching. It happens even while you’re busy buying groceries and when you’re fast asleep. It’s a curse Picture Quote #1

I remember a very nurturing, safe environment: everybody knew who I was, who my parents were, who my grandparents were, what part of Russia we were from originally. That was a really comforting feeling. Non-Mennonites, when they see that aspect of it, think it’s a beautiful thing, and it is, but there’s so much going on besides Picture Quote #1

The whole notion of pain, and how every individual experiences pain, is up for debate. We don’t know how another person experiences pain - physical pain or psychic pain. Some of these clinics where assisted suicide or euthanasia is practiced, they call it ‘weariness of life.’ Picture Quote #1

I have a problem with beginnings... and endings... and middles. But I don’t know what else I would do. I find it very, very difficult to write. It takes everything; it’s physically and mentally and emotionally exhausting for me. And my neighbours. And my dog Picture Quote #1

There are so many things in my life that would be completely not on within the conservative church. And yet I think of myself as a reasonably decent human being. With all sorts of flaws, you know, but still reasonably decent. If I did believe in Heaven and Hell, I would really, honestly, believe I was going to go to Heaven Picture Quote #1

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With my father and sister being very depressed for most of their lives, it was incumbent on me to try to make them laugh, in this ridiculous way. They were the wittiest people I knew, but to get a smile from them was like winning the lottery Picture Quote #1

When a person becomes a legend, the very thing that makes them human and knowable is killed off, so it’s like being killed over and over and over again, for all eternity Picture Quote #1

Irma Voth’ is my sixth book, but it’s only the third time I’ve featured Mennonite settings and characters Picture Quote #1

The theme of sisters - of missing sisters, of needing sisters, the special love that sisters share or the antagonism sisters share - is something that is very close to me Picture Quote #1

You don’t need a religious background to strive for something good, for genuine compassion and love for others Picture Quote #1

A lot of times, people think that it doesn’t make sense for people to be depressed when they have everything, a loving husband, a successful career, fame and fortune. I wanted to make this point that profound despair can strike anybody Picture Quote #1

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Conversing with children is a fine art.... An art form that demands large amounts of both honesty and misdirection. Or maybe discretion is a better word Picture Quote #1

In writing fiction, I can be free. I can use my life. The raw material is my experiences Picture Quote #1

My father died beside trees on iron rails... He had 77 dollars on him at the time, and we used the money for Thai takeout because, as my friend Julie says about times like this, ‘You still have to eat.’ Picture Quote #1

At one point in my life, I wanted to do a master’s degree in Irish literature, but I ended up getting pregnant instead Picture Quote #1

Writing helps me to create order out of chaos and make sense of things. It helps me to understand what I’ve experienced, what I’ve felt and seen, so it becomes a little easier to handle. On the other hand, I don’t want it to be just a cathartic experience, an outpouring of grief or whatever it is Picture Quote #1

The requests for blurbs seem to come in waves. I’m not sure what precipitates them. I think it must be excruciating for editors to draft those elaborate letters asking for a blurb, and I know it’s torturous for us writers to ask directly. But publishers encourage us to. Rock and a hard place Picture Quote #1

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I stare out the window and reflect on the similarity between writing and saving a life and the inevitable failure of one’s imagination and one’s goals and ambitions to create a character or a life worth saving Picture Quote #1

I love road trips. You get into this Zen rhythm; throw sense of time out the window Picture Quote #1

A few weeks ago my uncle came over to borrow my dad’s socket set and when he asked my dad how he was my dad said oh unexceptional. Living quietly with my disappointments. And how are you Picture Quote #1

It bothered me in a kind of Charles Manson way to have a brown smear of blood on my wall but I also liked it because every time I looked at it I was reminded that I was, at that very moment, not bleeding from my face. And those are powerful words of hope, really Picture Quote #1

It’s raining questions around here. A person could drown in them Picture Quote #1

If, along the way, something is gained, then something will also be lost Picture Quote #1

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Life being what it is, one dreams not of revenge. One just dreams Picture Quote #1

Perhaps depression is caused by asking oneself too many unanswerable questions Picture Quote #1

But love, like a mushroom high compared with the buzz from cheap weed, outlasts grief Picture Quote #1

I learned another thing, which is that just because someone is eating the ashes of your protagonist doesn’t mean you stop telling the story Picture Quote #1

Conversing with children is a fine art... An art form that demands large amounts of both honesty and misdirection. Or maybe discretion is a better word Picture Quote #1

I had a thought, on the way home from the rock field, that the things we don’t know about a person are the things that make them human, and it made me feel sad to think that, but sad in that reassuring way that some sadness has, a sadness that says welcome home in twelve different languages Picture Quote #1

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Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

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Text Quotes

There was no freer soul in the world than me at age nine (Miriam Toews Quotes) The writing life is one long, never-ending search for narrative. Well, it’s not even a conscious searching. It happens even while you’re busy buying groceries and when you’re fast asleep. It’s a curse. (Miriam Toews Quotes) I remember a very nurturing, safe environment: everybody knew who I was, who my parents were, who my grandparents were, what part of Russia we were from originally. That was a really comforting feeling. Non-Mennonites, when they see that aspect of it, think it’s a beautiful thing, and it is, but there’s so much going on besides. (Miriam Toews Quotes) The whole notion of pain, and how every individual experiences pain, is up for debate. We don’t know how another person experiences pain - physical pain or psychic pain. Some of these clinics where assisted suicide or euthanasia is practiced, they call it ‘weariness of life.’ (Miriam Toews Quotes) I have a problem with beginnings... and endings... and middles. But I don’t know what else I would do. I find it very, very difficult to write. It takes everything; it’s physically and mentally and emotionally exhausting for me. And my neighbours. And my dog. (Miriam Toews Quotes) There are so many things in my life that would be completely not on within the conservative church. And yet I think of myself as a reasonably decent human being. With all sorts of flaws, you know, but still reasonably decent. If I did believe in Heaven and Hell, I would really, honestly, believe I was going to go to Heaven. (Miriam Toews Quotes) With my father and sister being very depressed for most of their lives, it was incumbent on me to try to make them laugh, in this ridiculous way. They were the wittiest people I knew, but to get a smile from them was like winning the lottery. (Miriam Toews Quotes) When a person becomes a legend, the very thing that makes them human and knowable is killed off, so it’s like being killed over and over and over again, for all eternity. (Miriam Toews Quotes) Irma Voth’ is my sixth book, but it’s only the third time I’ve featured Mennonite settings and characters. (Miriam Toews Quotes) The theme of sisters - of missing sisters, of needing sisters, the special love that sisters share or the antagonism sisters share - is something that is very close to me. (Miriam Toews Quotes) You don’t need a religious background to strive for something good, for genuine compassion and love for others. (Miriam Toews Quotes) A lot of times, people think that it doesn’t make sense for people to be depressed when they have everything, a loving husband, a successful career, fame and fortune. I wanted to make this point that profound despair can strike anybody. (Miriam Toews Quotes) Conversing with children is a fine art.... An art form that demands large amounts of both honesty and misdirection. Or maybe discretion is a better word. (Miriam Toews Quotes) In writing fiction, I can be free. I can use my life. The raw material is my experiences. (Miriam Toews Quotes) My father died beside trees on iron rails... He had 77 dollars on him at the time, and we used the money for Thai takeout because, as my friend Julie says about times like this, ‘You still have to eat.’ (Miriam Toews Quotes) At one point in my life, I wanted to do a master’s degree in Irish literature, but I ended up getting pregnant instead. (Miriam Toews Quotes) Writing helps me to create order out of chaos and make sense of things. It helps me to understand what I’ve experienced, what I’ve felt and seen, so it becomes a little easier to handle. On the other hand, I don’t want it to be just a cathartic experience, an outpouring of grief or whatever it is. (Miriam Toews Quotes) The requests for blurbs seem to come in waves. I’m not sure what precipitates them. I think it must be excruciating for editors to draft those elaborate letters asking for a blurb, and I know it’s torturous for us writers to ask directly. But publishers encourage us to. Rock and a hard place. (Miriam Toews Quotes) I stare out the window and reflect on the similarity between writing and saving a life and the inevitable failure of one’s imagination and one’s goals and ambitions to create a character or a life worth saving. (Miriam Toews Quotes) I love road trips. You get into this Zen rhythm; throw sense of time out the window (Miriam Toews Quotes) A few weeks ago my uncle came over to borrow my dad’s socket set and when he asked my dad how he was my dad said oh unexceptional. Living quietly with my disappointments. And how are you (Miriam Toews Quotes) It bothered me in a kind of Charles Manson way to have a brown smear of blood on my wall but I also liked it because every time I looked at it I was reminded that I was, at that very moment, not bleeding from my face. And those are powerful words of hope, really (Miriam Toews Quotes) It’s raining questions around here. A person could drown in them (Miriam Toews Quotes) If, along the way, something is gained, then something will also be lost (Miriam Toews Quotes) Life being what it is, one dreams not of revenge. One just dreams (Miriam Toews Quotes) Perhaps depression is caused by asking oneself too many unanswerable questions (Miriam Toews Quotes) But love, like a mushroom high compared with the buzz from cheap weed, outlasts grief (Miriam Toews Quotes) I learned another thing, which is that just because someone is eating the ashes of your protagonist doesn’t mean you stop telling the story (Miriam Toews Quotes) Conversing with children is a fine art... An art form that demands large amounts of both honesty and misdirection. Or maybe discretion is a better word (Miriam Toews Quotes) I had a thought, on the way home from the rock field, that the things we don’t know about a person are the things that make them human, and it made me feel sad to think that, but sad in that reassuring way that some sadness has, a sadness that says welcome home in twelve different languages (Miriam Toews Quotes)

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