“Now many crises in people’s lives occur because the hero role that they’ve assumed for one situation or set of situations no longer applies to some new situation that comes up, or–the same thing in effect–because they haven’t the imagination… — John Barth Copy Share Image
Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and… — John Barth Copy Share
“So, I begin each day with a gesture of cynicism, and close it with a gesture of faith; or, if you prefer, begin it… — John Barth Copy Share
I admire writers who can make complicated things simple, but my own talent has been to make simple things complicated. — John Barth Copy Share
Printed prose is historically a most peculiar, almost an aberrant way of telling stories, and by far the most inherently anesthetic: It is the… — John Barth Copy Share
“There's a great difficulty in making choices if you have any imagination at all. Faced with such a multitude of desireable choices, no one… — John Barth Copy Share
The first obligation of the writer is to be interesting. To be interesting; not to change the world. — John Barth Copy Share
Yet everyone begins in the same place; how is it that most go along without difficulty but a few lose their way? — John Barth Copy Share
A curious thing about written literature: It is about four thousand years old, but we have no way of knowing whether four thousand years… — John Barth Copy Share
He wishes he had never entered the funhouse. But he has. Then he wishes he were dead. But he's not. Therefore he will construct… — John Barth Copy Share
“Am I boring you? I don't really care, I suppose, but I'll be more comfortable if I knew all this interested you. No doubt… — John Barth Copy Share
“The difference here 'twixt simple and witty folk, if the truth be known, is that your plain man cares much for what stand ye… — John Barth Copy Share
