Some have called the commonplace book the original blog — despite the fact it was rare indeed for one to be seen by many others. So what is a commonplace book? My favorite definition is “an edited collection of striking passages noted in a single place for future reference.” In other words, a place to collect, with or without comment, excerpts from things we’ve read that, whether because of our mood or inclinations, grab or touch us more than other material.
In my reading I occasionally come across passages I love. This page will be my electronic commonplace book, one which allows me to make available material from books (and perhaps magazines, film and the interwebz) I think is worthy of thought and consideration. For the time being, the list will be alphabetical by author, although if this grows it may end up with pages by subject.
We cannot reasonably expect the leaders of our own or other people’s nations to adopt more humane policies if we ourselves continue to live egotistically, unkindly, and greedily, and give free rein to unexamined prejudice.
Karen Armstrong, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life
Houses and building were full of desperate people who deeply misunderstood their desperation. This was due to artful explanation on the part of the government.
Jesse Ball, The Curfew
It is truly shocking that we reward those in our culture who already have too much as it is. And that there are folks for whom there is no such thing as having too much. They believe that having too much — everything they ever want every moment of their lives — is their birthright. And it’s still not enough.
Lewis Black, I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas
The secret of a happy marriage: not honesty, not forgiveness, but acceptance that is a kind of respect for the other’s right to make mistakes. Or rather, the right to make choices. Choices you can’t be sorry for, because they were the right ones.
Alice LaPlante, Turn of Mind
So marijuana is illegal and alcohol is not. Shit-faced drunk versus pothead hippie. Mean, drunken, wife-beating, car-wrecking, child-abusing, fighting, swearing, brawling, puking alcoholic is allowed to buy booze at the corner liquor store. But flower-child hippie can be thrown in jail for a joint. It doesn’t make any sense today and it didn’t make any sense in the sixties.
Ray Manzarek, Light My Fire
When there are no consequences, being wrong is simply an interesting diversion.
Ian McEwan, Saturday
There is always a price for changing.
Nnedi Okorafor, Who Fears Death
What makes the earth feel like Hell is our expectation that it ought to feel like Heaven.
Chuck Palahniuk, Damned
The road to self-deception is narrow to begin with, but there’s always someone ready to broaden it out.
José Saramago, Cain
He had begun to hoard his life.
Georges Simenon, The President
Self-hate is rarely unconditional.
Darin Strauss, Half a Life
We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death which, lest we forget, is the common lot.
Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone
Life … is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward. It is only when you stop and look to the rear that you see the corpse caught under your wheel.
Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone
The curse of having to be important dooms a lot of us.
Mark Vonnegut, Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So
Most people I know live their lives moving in a constant forward direction, the whole time looking backward.
Charles Yu, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
