“the thing about books is, there are quite a number you don't have to read.” — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“The aim of literature," Baskerville replied grandly, "is the creation of a strange object covered with fur which breaks your heart.” — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
What an artist does, is fail. Any reading of the literature, (I mean the literature of artistic creation), however summary, will persuade… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
His examiner said severely: "Baskerville, you blank round, discursiveness is not literature." "The aim of literature," Baskerville replied grandly, "is the creation… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
The aim of literature ... is the creation of a strange object covered with fur which breaks your heart. — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
As Jules Renard said, no matter how much care an author takes to write as few books as possible, there will be… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
We like books that have a lot of dreck in them, matter which presents itself as not wholly relevant (or indeed, at… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
And I sat there getting drunker and drunker and more in love and more in love...And you can never touch a girl in the… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“The story ends. It was written for several reasons. Nine of them are secrets. The tenth is that one should never cease considering human… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“INTERVIEWER Why don’t you write tragedy? BARTHELME I’m fated to deal in mixtures, slumgullions, which preclude tragedy, which require a pure line. It’s a… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“Do I want to be loved in spite of?Do you? Does anyone? But aren't we all to some degree? Aren't there important parts of… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“Of course we had hoped that he would take up his sword as part of the President's war on poetry. The time is ripe… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
Capitalism places every man in competition with his fellows for a share of the available wealth. A few people accumulate big piles, but most… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“You came and fell upon me, I was sitting in the wicker chair. The wicker exclaimed as your weight fell upon me. You were… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“Mother, have you noticed that this society we’re in tends to be a little…repressive?” “What does that mean, Eugenie? What does that mean, that… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
I keep wondering if, say, there is intelligent life on other planets, the scientists argue that something like two percent of the other planets… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“This muck heaves and palpitates. It is multi-directional and has a mayor.” — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
“They were heading I judged for the Sixth Precinct. Had I had the black hat with me, and sufficient men and horses and lariats… — Donald Barthelme Copy Share Image
