--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History is a string full of knots, the…" description: "\"History is a string full of knots, the best you can do is admire it, and maybe tie it up a bit more. History is a hammock for swinging and a game for p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/jeanette-winterson-166_admire_history-is-a-string-full-of-knots-the-be_2275243.png" --- # History is a string full of knots, the best you can do is… ![“History is a string full of knots, the best you can do is admire it, and maybe tie it up a bit more. History is a hammock for swinging and a game for playing.” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/jeanette-winterson-166_admire_history-is-a-string-full-of-knots-the-be_2275243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/jeanette-winterson-166_admire_history-is-a-string-full-of-knots-the-be_2275243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/jeanette-winterson-166_admire_history-is-a-string-full-of-knots-the-be_2275243.png) > “History is a string full of knots, the best you can do is admire it, and maybe tie it up a bit more. History is a hammock for swinging and a game for playing.” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History is tangled and complex; we can admire it, try to understand it, and occasionally reshape it for future use. **In simple terms:** History is messy but useful. Key Takeaway Learn from the past while shaping the future. Themes history interpretation agency Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - policy making - personal growth Key Concepts complexity narrative agency Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance respect and change? - What knots in history matter most? A Different Perspective Past cannot be fully untangled. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Hammock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hammock/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) ## Related quotes > [“History is a hammock for swinging and a game for playing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/history-is-a-hammock-for-swinging-and-a-game-for-playing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [An optimist is a man who plants two acorns and buys a hammock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-lattre-de-tassigny/an-optimist-is-a-man-who-plants-two-acorns-and-buys-a-hammock/) Jean de Lattre de Tassigny > [People who work hard often work too hard. ... May we learn to honor the hammock, the siesta, the nap and the pause in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/people-who-work-hard-often-work-too-hard-may-we-learn-to-honor-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [ Kept falling in and out of it \[sleep\] like out of a boat or a tipping hammock. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-tremain/kept-falling-in-and-out-of-it-sleep-like-out-of-a-boat-or-a-tipping/) [Rose Tremain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-tremain/) > [I was studying my 'Bold and Beautiful' script the other day, lying in a hammock, when one of my Siberian tigers walked up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tippi-hedren/i-was-studying-my-bold-and-beautiful-script-the-other-day-lying-in-a/) [Tippi Hedren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tippi-hedren/) > [Acceptance is the spiritual hammock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-berners-lee/acceptance-is-the-spiritual-hammock/) [Tim Berners-Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-berners-lee/) > [I fell out of the hammock while I was sleeping. (Arik) On your head? (Geary) Apparently. Good thing it’s hard, huh? (Arik)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-fell-out-of-the-hammock-while-i-was-sleeping-arik-on-your-head/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [For years I've nursed a secret desire to spend the Fourth of July in a double hammock with a swingin' redheaded broad. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/for-years-i-ve-nursed-a-secret-desire-to-spend-the-fourth-of-july-in/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wright/lying-in-a-hammock-at-william-duffy-s-farm-in-pine-island-minnesota/) [James Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wright/) > [The word hammockable (describing two trees that are the perfect distance apart between which a hammock can be hung) is not in the dictionary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-kieran/the-word-hammockable-describing-two-trees-that-are-the-perfect/) Dan Kieran > [Between the two poles of whole-truth and half-truth is slung the chancy hammock in which we all rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-alexander/between-the-two-poles-of-whole-truth-and-half-truth-is-slung-the/) [Shana Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-alexander/) > [Personally, I believe a rocking hammock, a good cigar, and a tall gin-and-tonic is the way to save the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/personally-i-believe-a-rocking-hammock-a-good-cigar-and-a-tall-gin/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Naps are nature's way of reminding you that life is nice, like a beautiful swinging hammock strung between birth and infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/naps-are-nature-s-way-of-reminding-you-that-life-is-nice-like-a/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [“I also have a hammock I spend a lot of time in - mostly just because hammocks are awesome and people don't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-eastham/i-also-have-a-hammock-i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-mostly-just-because/) [Chad Eastham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-eastham/) > [Stardom is like making love in a hammock - a happy experience but one of uncertain duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/stardom-is-like-making-love-in-a-hammock-a-happy-experience-but-one/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) ## More by Jeanette Winterson > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. There is never enough to eat, never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/after-nine-nights-must-come-ten-and-every-desperate-meeting-only/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I have found that I am not a space where people want to live, at least not without decorating first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-found-that-i-am-not-a-space-where-people-want-to-live-at-least/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Yes. Just pass me my leg will you? It's on top of the wardrobe where he threw it, and I think my right arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/yes-just-pass-me-my-leg-will-you-it-s-on-top-of-the-wardrobe-where-he/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Every second the Universe divides into possibilities and most of those possibilities never happen. It is not a uni-verse -- there is more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/every-second-the-universe-divides-into-possibilities-and-most-of/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You are a pool of clear water where the light plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-are-a-pool-of-clear-water-where-the-light-plays/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It's the cliches that cause the trouble. A precise emotion seeks a precise expression. If what I feel is not precise than how should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-s-the-cliches-that-cause-the-trouble-a-precise-emotion-seeks-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [What would it have meant to be happy? What would it have meant if things had been bright, clear, good between us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-would-it-have-meant-to-be-happy-what-would-it-have-meant-if/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Mrs Ratlow was a widow, and she was head of English, but she still did all the cooking and cleaning for her two sons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/mrs-ratlow-was-a-widow-and-she-was-head-of-english-but-she-still-did/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I shall have nowt to talk to now the baby is boiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-shall-have-nowt-to-talk-to-now-the-baby-is-boiled/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“What art does is to coax us away from the mechanical and towards the miraculous. The so-called uselessness of art is a clue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-art-does-is-to-coax-us-away-from-the-mechanical-and-towards-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It took me a long time to realise that there are two kinds of writing: the one you write and the one that writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realise-that-there-are-two-kinds-of-writing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [A curse on this game. How can you stick at a game when the rules keep on changing? I shall call myself Alice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-curse-on-this-game-how-can-you-stick-at-a-game-when-the-rules-keep/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“He turned away and I turned to him in vivid heat to look on the sun-dried world. The groves and towers were gone. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/he-turned-away-and-i-turned-to-him-in-vivid-heat-to-look-on-the-sun/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) [Explore all 1,016 Jeanette Winterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More Admire quotes > [Everyone will admire you when you do well. What a horrible thing to do to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/everyone-will-admire-you-when-you-do-well-what-a-horrible-thing-to-do/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I admire Serena Williams, because, I mean, who doesn't admire Serena Williams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-admire-serena-williams-because-i-mean-who-doesn-t-admire-serena/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [How proud I am to be compared to Oprah. I really admire her. She's a minority woman and she's done all this by herself...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-saralegui/how-proud-i-am-to-be-compared-to-oprah-i-really-admire-her-she-s-a/) [Cristina Saralegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-saralegui/) > [I admire President Obama's ability to trust strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-admire-president-obama-s-ability-to-trust-strangers/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [I really admire people's interactions with technology that aren't tech-centric but use it as a tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-polachek/i-really-admire-people-s-interactions-with-technology-that-aren-t/) [Caroline Polachek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-polachek/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Shaw's works make me admire the magnificent tolerance and broadmindedness of the english.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/shaw-s-works-make-me-admire-the-magnificent-tolerance-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I think it's really good and helpful to have the people you most admire in some other discipline than what you work in. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/i-think-it-s-really-good-and-helpful-to-have-the-people-you-most/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Part of what we admire about a painting or a piece of music is the order which the artist has imposed upon what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/part-of-what-we-admire-about-a-painting-or-a-piece-of-music-is-the/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [I respect and admire the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-respect-and-admire-the-premier-league/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) > [“The thing I admire most about you is no matter how hard, or how much the world has tried to beat you, break you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-gill/the-thing-i-admire-most-about-you-is-no-matter-how-hard-or-how-much/) [Nikita Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-gill/) Browse all 2,369 Admire quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "History is a string full of knots, the best you can do is admire it, and maybe tie it up a bit more. 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