A good argument, like a good dialogue, is always a proof of life, but I'd much rather go and read a book. Ali Smith argumentbookdialogue Change image and share on social
All we need to do, reader or writer, from first line to final page, is be as open as a book, and be alive to the life in language - on all its levels. Ali Smith alivebookfinal Change image and share on social
We'd never expect to understand a piece of music on one listen, but we tend to believe we've read a book after reading it just once. Ali Smith bookexpecthave Change image and share on social
I went to the top of Vesuvius and looked in. Ali Smith looktopvesuvius Change image and share on social
Short stories consume you faster. They're connected to brevity. With the short story, you are up against mortality. I know how tough they are as a form, but they're also a total joy. Ali Smith brevityconnectconsume Change image and share on social
But everything written has style. The list of ingredients on the side of a cornflakes box has style. And everything literary has literary style. And style is integral to a work. How something is told correlates with - more - makes what's being told. A story is its style. Ali Smith boxcornflakecorrelate share on social
How could 30 years be the blink-of-the-eye it felt? It was the difference between black-and-white footage of the Second World War and David Bowie on 'Top of the Pops' singing 'Life on Mars.' Ali Smith blackblinkbowie Change image and share on social
Nothing is harmful to literature except censorship, and that almost never stops literature going where it wants to go either, because literature has a way of surpassing everything that blocks it and growing stronger for the exercise. Ali Smith blockcensorshipexercise share on social
It's the word 'artful'; it's such a great word, with its dark and its light side, its art and its cunning, the craft and the crafty of it - I've been preoccupied with the word 'artful' and the twin notions of 'cornucopia' and 'pickpocket' it suggests for quite some time. Ali Smith artartfulcornucopia share on social
I don't want a tombstone. You could carve on it 'She never actually wanted a tombstone.' Ali Smith carvetombstonewant Change image and share on social
