It amazes me that parents are allowed to raise kids. There's so much power and often very little accountability. Ben Marcus accountabilityallowamaze Change image and share on social
The common, the quotidian, is so much more unyielding to me, really stubborn and hard to work with, and I like this because it makes me think and it makes me worry. I can't just plunge my hand into the meat of it. I need new approaches. Ben Marcus approachcommonhand share on social
My goal, with whatever I'm working on, is to lose track of time. Ben Marcus goallosetime Change image and share on social
Fiction becomes a place where I face certain fears such as losing language or losing my children. Ben Marcus childfacefear Change image and share on social
I like big doses of grief when I read: Richard Yates, Flannery O'Connor, Kenzabaro Oe, Thomas Bernhard. Ben Marcus bernhardbigconnor Change image and share on social
I'm an enormous fan of Thomas Bernhard's books, and I like the relentless feeling in his work - the pursuit of darkness, the negative - and I think in some sense I've internalised that as what one is supposed to do. Ben Marcus bernhardbookdarkness share on social
In certain strains of Judaism, there's a profound passion for the ineffable. Contemplation of God is meant to be forever elusive, because, you know, our tiny minds can't possibly comprehend Him. If we find ourselves comprehending Him, then we can be sure we're off track. Ben Marcus comprehendcontemplationelusive share on social
I love the way dates in a text make us think that truth will follow. Ben Marcus datefollowlove Change image and share on social
When I started writing at 18 or 19, I had a fear of anything autobiographical, but I've come to realise that my writing is very autobiographical at the emotional level. Ben Marcus autobiographicalemotionalfear Change image and share on social
My parents showed me by example that they could balance their work and family lives. Ben Marcus balancefamilylive Change image and share on social
