I used to take five or six books away and bring five or six books back. Nobody gave me direction or advice and I read much in the way that a boy might watch television. John McGahern advicebackbook Change image and share on social
For example, it's only about 20 years ago the people in that community would have got telephone lines, and it would be only about in the 1950s that electricity came to that part of the world. Television wouldn't have come till 1970. John McGahern 1950sagocommunity share on social
When I was in my 20s it did occur to me that there was something perverted about an attitude that thought that killing somebody was a minor offence compared to kissing somebody. John McGahern 20sattitudecompare Change image and share on social
I feel I grew up in a different century than I live in. I think most of them are changes for the good. John McGahern centuryfeelgood Change image and share on social
When I start to write, words have become physical presence. It was to see if I could bring that private world to life that found its first expression through reading. I really dislike the romantic notion of the artist. John McGahern artistbringdislike share on social
Yes, but also one of the problems for a novelist in Ireland is the fact that there are no formal manners. I mean some people have beautiful manners but there's no kind of agreed form of manners. John McGahern agreebeautifulfact Change image and share on social
I think that each of us inhabits a private world that others cannot see. The only difference between the writer and the reader is that the writer is able to dramatise that private world. John McGahern differencedramatiseinhabit Change image and share on social
I think technique can be taught but I think the only way to learn to write is to read, and I see writing and reading as completely related. One almost couldn't exist without the other. John McGahern completelyexistlearn Change image and share on social
I think fiction is a very serious thing, that while it is fiction, it is also a revelation of truth, or facts. John McGahern factfictionrevelation Change image and share on social
My father was very outwardly religious. John McGahern fatheroutwardlyreligious Change image and share on social
