Reading is an act of civilization; it's one of the greatest acts of civilization because it takes the free raw material of the mind and builds castles of possibilities. Ben Okri actbuildcastle Change image and share on social
Artists and writers have to deal with the element that makes the real real and the dream real while you are dreaming it. That's where stories and poems get their power. Ben Okri artistdealdream Change image and share on social
I'm conscious of a series of circles working its way through my life. And at this particular moment I have come round to the beginning of my writing cycle. It begins with poetry. There's hardly a day that goes past on which I don't write poetry. Ben Okri begincircleconscious share on social
Home can be the friend you have been searching for all your life or the person you met once very briefly. Ben Okri brieflyfriendhome Change image and share on social
If you are working in an office, where do you find the time to write a novel? But you can finish a short story in five pages. Furthermore, a short story is a perfect place to learn the craft. Ben Okri craftfindfinish Change image and share on social
Reading, like writing, is a creative act. If readers only bring a narrow range of themselves to the book, then they'll only see their narrow range reflected in it. Ben Okri actbookbring Change image and share on social
At the heart of 'The Famished Road' is a philosophical conundrum - for me, an essential one: what is reality? Everybody's reality is subjective; it's conditioned by upbringing, ideas, temperament, religion, what's happened to you. Ben Okri conditionconundrumessential share on social
I study people all the time. For some reason, we're not very good at seeing what's there or hearing what we're hearing. Ben Okri goodhearpeople Change image and share on social
The worst time was 1983. Love and life and everything went wrong. I reached absolute rock bottom. I saw the Minotaur at the bottom of the abyss. I learnt of the harshness of the world and its impartiality to human failure. Ben Okri absoluteabyssbad share on social
I learned that life will go through changes - up and down and up again. It's what life does. Ben Okri learnlife Change image and share on social
