That's the best thing that's ever happened to me, bar none, is having grandchildren and living by them and being part of their lives. Helen Garner bargrandchildhappen Change image and share on social
I just... my childhood seems, when I look back, to be largely composed of reading, lying on the bed. I mean, my mother was always shouting, 'Go outside!' But she shouted it at all of us. I think I was just kind of... rather an introverted child, probably. Helen Garner backbedchild share on social
People demand a lot of the justice system and they demand things that it can't deliver. Helen Garner deliverdemandjustice Change image and share on social
The rain began again. It fell heavily, easily, with no meaning or intention but the fulfilment of its own nature, which was to fall and fall. Helen Garner begineasilyfall Change image and share on social
That's one of the things I hope that the book can do, is to restore some dignity to Joe Cinque. Helen Garner bookcinquedignity Change image and share on social
It's very shocking, I think, for people caring for the dying to realise how unsaintly they feel, how much anger is mixed up with their grief. In fact, often I think the anger that they feel is a form of grief; it's a kind of raging against what's happening. Helen Garner angercaredie share on social
I don't believe that anything's totally invented... If you're completely inventing a story, there wouldn't be an urge to tell it. Helen Garner completelyinventstory Change image and share on social
There's only one thing I know what to do, so I'm pretty much otherwise unemployable. The idea that you can make a living from exercising your only skill is wonderful. And it's wonderful to be read. It's a really exciting and happy thing to be read. Helen Garner excitexercisehappy share on social
It's much more interesting for me to think that taking a chunk of experience and mushing it up together with other things that are inventible, remembered from some other time or stolen from other people's stories... and see if I can make it into something that works, an object, a little machine that runs. Helen Garner chunkexperienceinterest share on social