In its conception the literature prize belongs to days when a writer could still be thought of as, by virtue of his or her occupation, a sage, someone with no institutional affiliations who could offer an authoritative word on our times as well as on our moral life. J. M. Coetzee affiliationauthoritativebelong share on social
As for September 11, let us not too easily grant the Americans possession of that date on the calendar. Like May 1 or July 14 or December 25, September 11 may seem full of significance to some people, while to other people it is just another day. J. M. Coetzee americancalendardate share on social
In order to be cruel we have to close our hearts to the suffering of the other. J. M. Coetzee closecruelheart Change image and share on social
The end of confession is to tell the truth to and for oneself. J. M. Coetzee confessionendoneself Change image and share on social
In becoming a citizen, one undertakes certain duties and responsibilities. One of the more intangible of those duties and responsibilities is no matter what one's birth and background, to accept the historical past of the new country as one's own. J. M. Coetzee acceptbackgroundbirth share on social
As you see, I do not treat the creation of fiction, that to say the invention and development of fantasies, as a form of abstract thought. I don't wish to deny the uses of the intellect, but sometimes one has the intuition that the intellect by itself will lead one nowhere. J. M. Coetzee abstractcreationdeny share on social
The mode of consciousness of nonhuman species is quite different from human consciousness. J. M. Coetzee consciousnesshumanmode Change image and share on social
I say that I represent this movement because my intellectual allegiances are clearly European, not African. J. M. Coetzee africanallegianceeuropean Change image and share on social
I tend to resist invitations to interpret my own fiction. J. M. Coetzee fictioninterpretinvitation Change image and share on social
Everyone seems to see bleakness and despair in my books. I don't read them that way. I see myself as writing comic books, books about ordinary people trying to live ordinary, dull, happy lives while the world is falling to pieces around them. J. M. Coetzee bleaknessbookcomic share on social
