Books Quote by Eric Bogosian
““I mean, what kind of literature do you think ants would make if they could read? Not F. Scott Fuckin’ Fitzgerald, not Joyce or D-D—D-Dostoyevsky, not even friggin’ Steinbeck. Wouldn’t make any sense to ’em. You ever read Nabokov’s Lolita? Best book of the twentieth century, but old-fashioned my friend, old fuckin’ fashioned. Same old story over and over again, one more guy mesmerized by his own dick, wandering around the wreckage of his life. Who the fuck cares about that? Give me the Knights of the Round Table! Give me Merlin! Or better, the “wine dark sea”! Much more interesting.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Bogosian Show, 2005
The speaker dismisses highbrow literature as irrelevant, preferring mythic adventure and epic storytelling over modern narratives centered on personal obsession.
In simple terms: He prefers myths over modern books about self‑obsession.
Key Takeaway
Seek stories that inspire adventure.
Themes
literature
myth
culture
preferences
modernity
Mood
iritant
skeptical
enthusiastic
Type
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- reading clubs
- creative writing
- personal development
- entertainment choices
Key Concepts
highbrow vs. popular
heroic narrative
cultural critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your preferred story genre reveal about you?
- How might you find value in the dismissed works?
A Different Perspective
Modern literature can still offer deep insight despite perceived cynicism.
