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 end of confession is to tell the truth to and for oneself. J. M. Coetzee confessionendoneself Change image and share on social
If there were a better, clearer, shorter way of saying what the fiction says, then why not scrap the fiction? J. M. Coetzee clearfictionscrap 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
Lebanon, Israel, Ireland, South Africa - wherever there is a bleeding sore on the body of the world, the same hard-eyed narrow-minded fanatics are busy, indifferent to life, in love with death. J. M. Coetzee africableedbody Change image and share on social
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
All autobiography is storytelling; all writing is autobiography. J. M. Coetzee autobiographystorytellingwrite Change image and share on social
That has always seemed to me one of the stranger aspects of literary fame: you prove your competence as a writer and an inventor of stories, and then people clamour for you to make speeches and tell them what you think about the world. J. M. Coetzee aspectclamourcompetence 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
