“I knew they were thought of as fools. I also knew they were clever.” — Mikhail Iossel Fools Copy Share Image
“I realized that I was a bad listener: I paid too much attention to the words.” — Mikhail Iossel Language Copy Share Image
“They spoke with the finality of omniscient illiterates.” — Mikhail Iossel Illiterates Copy Share Image
“enjoying the danger—more imaginary than real, yet still sweet.” — Mikhail Iossel Danger Copy Share Image
“Whenever I’m with her, I feel wise and strong—simply because she’s not.” — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“Each one appeared less a human being than an extension of his fixed bayonet.” — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“Real life is often more literary than the works of literature. That’s because it doesn’t have to appear credible.” — Mikhail Iossel Books Copy Share Image
“Every time I read a newspaper, recognizing by experience the real meaning of each word that has been omitted, I feel sad,… — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“They were pawns, pitifully despicable and disposable, and yet they were strong and fearsome.” — Mikhail Iossel Pawns Copy Share Image
“I had never seen a photo of a naked woman before—only paintings and sculptures in the Hermitage.” — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“The moment I closed my eyes I pictured the naked women from the magazine. I was afraid that I had gone insane… — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“We never seriously questioned life, because it was not likely to provide us with any answers.” — Mikhail Iossel Life Copy Share Image
“The Kremlin Wall was the color of coagulated blood. Its tooth-edged outline served a quiet warning to an enemy.” — Mikhail Iossel Kremlin Copy Share Image
“You know only all those fancy words that do you no good. You should really learn some serious words.” — Mikhail Iossel Language Copy Share Image
“I was never good at telling intelligent people from mere self-confident fools, the know-it-alls, because I didn’t and couldn’t know, growing up,… — Mikhail Iossel Intelligent people Copy Share Image
“My head was reeling. My eyelids were heavy. But I knew what to do. We, the trainmen, had a cure for drowsiness.… — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“I left my prestigious “mainstream” job and became what I had always wanted to be—a writer, a nightguard, a gas-stoker, a public… — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“His apartment was on the twenty-fifth floor and cost him $3000 a month. He was in his early twenties and had a… — Mikhail Iossel Copy Share Image
“Maybe it was just a spur-of-the-moment, “why not?” wild kind of thing that spontaneous people like him often do. I could easily… — Mikhail Iossel Spontaneous Copy Share Image
