black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

I love metaphor. It provides two loaves where there seems to be one. Sometimes it throws in a load of fish.

Bernard Malamud

A man is an island in the only sense that matters, not an easy way to be. We live in mystery, a cosmos of separate lonely bodies, men, insects, stars. It is all loneliness and men know it best.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Insects Loneliness Lonely Matter Men Stars
How one works, assuming he’s disciplined, doesn’t matter.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Assuming Discipline Matter Works
There comes a time in a man’s life when to get where he has to go – if there are no doors or windows he walks through a wall.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Men Tattoo Walk Wall Window
Life is a tragedy full of joy.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Follow Joy Life Your Heart
All my life I wanted to accomplish something worthwhile-a thing people will say took a little something.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Accomplishment Littles People
First drafts are for learning what your story is about.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Draft Firsts Learn Stories
The past exudes legend: one can’t make pure clay of time’s mud. There is no life that can be recaptured wholly; as it was.Which is to say that all biography is ultimately fiction.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Clay Past Recapture Time
Of course it would cost something, but he was an expert in cutting corners; and when there were no more corners left he would make circles rounder.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Circles Cutting Experts
In my dreams I ate and I ate my dreams.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Ate Dream Success
We’re persecuted in the most civilized languages.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Civilized Language Persecuted
Some men are by nature explorers; my nature is to stay under the same moon and stars, and if the weather is wet, under the same roof. It’s a strange world, why make it stranger?
BERNARD MALAMUD

Adventure Moon Stars
I am somewhat of a meliorist. That is to say, I act as an optimist because I find I cannot act at all, as a pessimist.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Confusion Giving Order
The first draft of a book is the most uncertain-where you need guts, the ability to accept the imperfect until it is better.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Accept Book Imperfect Uncertain Until
If your train’s on the wrong track every station you come to is the wrong station.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Stations Track Train
You see in others who you are.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Identity Who You Are
Nationality isn’t soul.
BERNARD MALAMUD

Nation Nationality Soul

I love metaphor. It provides two loaves where there seems to be one. Sometimes it throws in a load of fish.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

I love metaphor. It provides two loaves where there seems to be one. Sometimes it throws in a load of fish.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Bernard Malamud Quotes