I was an awful critic. I operated on the assumption that there was an absolute scale of values against which art could be measured. I didn't trust my own subjective responses. Tom Stoppard absoluteartassumption Change image and share on social
If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older. Tom Stoppard carrychildhoodold Change image and share on social
It's very common for people to recommend something to me because they're going on what I've already written, when, what really is the case, is that you want to write about something you haven't written about, in ways that you haven't done before. Tom Stoppard casecommonhave share on social
People have quite a simple idea about 'Anna Karenina.' They feel that the novel is entirely about a young married woman who falls in love with a cavalry officer and leaves her husband after much agony, and pays the price for that. Tom Stoppard agonyannacavalry share on social
One of the reasons why there are so many versions of Chekhov is that translations date in a way that the original doesn't; translations seem to be of their time. Tom Stoppard chekhovdateoriginal Change image and share on social
When you try to grasp the way the Western world is going, you see that we are on a ratchet towards a surveillance state, which is coming to include the whole population in its surveillance. This is our reward for accepting the restraints on the way we live now. Tom Stoppard acceptcomegrasp share on social
Chekhov understood that people are mysterious and can't be reduced to what we nowadays call 'motivation.' Tom Stoppard callchekhovmotivation Change image and share on social
Time is short, life is short, there's a lot to know. So I skip the entertainers in the newspaper now. I just haven't got time. Tom Stoppard entertainerlifelot Change image and share on social
Maturity is a high price to pay for growing up. Tom Stoppard growhighmaturity Change image and share on social
