History as Fiction
History is fiction we've agreed to accept as truth. Literature is more honest because it admits its fiction
Michael Ondaatje
Canadian novelist, author of The English Patient and The Cat's Table
All moments: Michael Ondaatje
- Cats and Writers — Michael Ondaatje
A cat is a creature that never fully reveals itself. As a writer, I'm fascinated by what cannot be completely explained
- Letters as Language — Michael Ondaatje
Letters are the language of secret things, they allow people to be honest in a way they cannot face to face
- Layers of Self in Literature — Michael Ondaatje
I believe a character has many layers, and a writer must inhabit all of these layers at once
- The Novel as Dialogue — Michael Ondaatje
A novel is not a monologue. It's a dialogue between writer and reader, where the reader must fill in the gaps
- Fragmented Memory — Michael Ondaatje
Memory is not a linear story. It's fragments that connect and disconnect like in a dream
- War and Intimacy — Michael Ondaatje
War exposes a person, makes them vulnerable. It's in this vulnerability that I search for truth
Related moments
- Birth of a Legend — Paul McCartney
The Beatles were about growth. We changed every single day.
- Documenting History — Questlove
As a documentarian, I feel a responsibility to preserve the history of Black music and culture
- All Music Is Folk Music — Louis Armstrong
All music is folk music. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song.
- The Power of Compassion — Michael Jackson
The most important thing is love and compassion. They override everything.
- Music Is Life — Jon Batiste
Music is a spiritual practice, a therapy, a way to connect us to ourselves and each other
- Compromise and Conscience — Bob Dylan
I'll never sell my soul for money or fame. It's my only true asset.