--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I look back into past history, the stored…" description: "\"I look back into past history, the stored experiences or products of the imagination. I look no further forward than the evening.\" — Jerzy Kosinski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/jerzy-kosi-ski-6296_evening_i-look-back-into-past-history-the-stored_82265.png" --- # I look back into past history, the stored experiences or… ![“I look back into past history, the stored experiences or products of the imagination. I look no further forward than the evening.” quote by Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/jerzy-kosi-ski-6296_evening_i-look-back-into-past-history-the-stored_82265.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/jerzy-kosi-ski-6296_evening_i-look-back-into-past-history-the-stored_82265.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77d/jerzy-kosi-ski-6296_evening_i-look-back-into-past-history-the-stored_82265.png) > “I look back into past history, the stored experiences or products of the imagination. I look no further forward than the evening.” [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on the past and imagination as a source of insight, while dismissing future speculation as irrelevant. **In simple terms:** Past informs, future ignored. Key Takeaway Value memory, limit foresight. Themes nostalgia reflection imagination skepticism temporal focus Mood melancholic contemplative Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal journaling - historical analysis - creative brainstorming Key Concepts memory creativity time perception Practical Applications - writing memoirs - design retrospectives Questions to Reflect On - What does focusing on the past reveal about our identity? - How might ignoring the future limit growth? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evening/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Use your imagination. Look around the kitchen and see what you can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriano-zumbo/use-your-imagination-look-around-the-kitchen-and-see-what-you-can-use/) [Adriano Zumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriano-zumbo/) > [If you use your imagination, you can look at any actress and see her nude... I hope to make you use your imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/if-you-use-your-imagination-you-can-look-at-any-actress-and-see-her/) [Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/) > [For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all parties to leave the past to history, especially as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/for-my-part-i-consider-that-it-will-be-found-much-better-by-all/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [We have to forget the past. History is something that even today we are paying the consequences, and the future is integration. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/we-have-to-forget-the-past-history-is-something-that-even-today-we/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [“the past is history written in stone that can’t be altered. The future is transitory and never guaranteed. Today is the only thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-past-is-history-written-in-stone-that-can-t-be-altered-the-future-3/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The past is history, looking towards the future! Always chasing my sweet dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-past-is-history-looking-towards-the-future-always-chasing-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The past is history written in stone that can't be altered. The future is transitory and never guaranteed. Today is the only thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-past-is-history-written-in-stone-that-can-t-be-altered-the-future-2/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Your past is your history, your future is your destainy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-white/your-past-is-your-history-your-future-is-your-destainy/) [Marcus White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-white/) > [Dont allow problems of the past to clog your happiness. Work diligently to unravel yourself from your past history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/dont-allow-problems-of-the-past-to-clog-your-happiness-work/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It's great to have a great past and history. But it's even greater to have a good future. So the most important history is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kaeser/it-s-great-to-have-a-great-past-and-history-but-it-s-even-greater-to/) [Joe Kaeser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kaeser/) > [But, it's because we have a harder way to succeed in life as Serbs because of the past that we had and because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novak-djokovic/but-it-s-because-we-have-a-harder-way-to-succeed-in-life-as-serbs/) [Novak Djokovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novak-djokovic/) > [The past is history. The future is a mystery. The present is a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/the-past-is-history-the-future-is-a-mystery-the-present-is-a-gift/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [Since we do not take a man on his past history, we do not refuse him because of his past history. I never met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/since-we-do-not-take-a-man-on-his-past-history-we-do-not-refuse-him/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“The past is history written in stone that can’t be altered. The future is transitory and never guaranteed. Today is the only thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-past-is-history-written-in-stone-that-can-t-be-altered-the-future/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Maybe Rachel was right all along. Maybe the past is past, history is history, and you just push it aside and look for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-lyga/maybe-rachel-was-right-all-along-maybe-the-past-is-past-history-is/) [Barry Lyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-lyga/) ## More by Jerzy Kosinski > [“There should be no promise of a plot. Plot is extraordinary, while chance is ordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/there-should-be-no-promise-of-a-plot-plot-is-extraordinary-while/) [Jerzy Kosiński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [“He had found the one calm place in the midst of the storm, a quiet voice calling him to earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/he-had-found-the-one-calm-place-in-the-midst-of-the-storm-a-quiet/) [Jerzy Kosiński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [“When I saw them in Africa, I thought these birds were the greatest fliers of all. Hardly beating their wings, they fly for hours,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/when-i-saw-them-in-africa-i-thought-these-birds-were-the-greatest/) [Jerzy Kosiński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [“That's why she keeps her nails long, she says, to be able to scratch and claw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/that-s-why-she-keeps-her-nails-long-she-says-to-be-able-to-scratch/) [Jerzy Kosiński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [Travel gives me the opportunity to walk through the sectors of cities where one can clearly see the passage of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/travel-gives-me-the-opportunity-to-walk-through-the-sectors-of-cities/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [Going around under an umbrella interferes with one's looking up at the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/going-around-under-an-umbrella-interferes-with-one-s-looking-up-at/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [“Against the background of bland colors he projected an unfadable blackness. In a world of men with harrowed faces, with smashed eyes, bloody, bruised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/against-the-background-of-bland-colors-he-projected-an-unfadable/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [You don't die in the United States, you underachieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/you-don-t-die-in-the-united-states-you-underachieve/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [Mapplethorpe presented the body as a sexual object, separating it from the humanity of the person. He added nothing to photography as a medium.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/mapplethorpe-presented-the-body-as-a-sexual-object-separating-it-from/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [Banks introduced the installment plan. The disappearance of cash and the coming of the credit card changed the shape of life in the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/banks-introduced-the-installment-plan-the-disappearance-of-cash-and/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [I always have a sense of trembling, but so does a compass, after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/i-always-have-a-sense-of-trembling-but-so-does-a-compass-after-all/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [“As a boy I got the idea that death was an animal which lay curled inside waiting to swallow us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/as-a-boy-i-got-the-idea-that-death-was-an-animal-which-lay-curled/) [Jerzy Kosiński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [Lovers are not snails; they don't have to protrude from their shells and meet each other halfway. Meet me within your own self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/lovers-are-not-snails-they-don-t-have-to-protrude-from-their-shells/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [I am curious about grownups, not children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/i-am-curious-about-grownups-not-children/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) > [The planned sit-down reception is an artificial forum where one is presented with a limited number of persons with whom he can hold a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-kosi-ski/the-planned-sit-down-reception-is-an-artificial-forum-where-one-is/) [Jerzy Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) [Explore all 99 Jerzy Kosinski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-kosi-ski/) ## More Evening quotes > [Once ye made up yer mind to do somethin', 'tis better t'stumble o'er the small hillock of jump-ahead than t'bash yer head on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/once-ye-made-up-yer-mind-to-do-somethin-tis-better-t-stumble-o-er-the/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The sun, a red wheel, was sinking slowly in the west. Besides being spectacularly beautiful, the early-summer sunset was exceedingly soft and gentle: black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-yan/the-sun-a-red-wheel-was-sinking-slowly-in-the-west-besides-being/) [Mo Yan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-yan/) > [It is easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-man-is-immortal-simply-because-he-will/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [When I was very young my mother sang to me at bedtime and my dad would often play the banjo or fiddle in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-block/when-i-was-very-young-my-mother-sang-to-me-at-bedtime-and-my-dad/) Rory Block > [So great is the economy of nature, that most flowers which are fertilised by crepuscular or nocturnal insects emit their odour chiefly or exclusively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/so-great-is-the-economy-of-nature-that-most-flowers-which-are/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I don’t know, I don’t know that I’m missing anything. I just think too much sometimes. Sometimes I’m even happy because I’m so engaged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/i-don-t-know-i-don-t-know-that-i-m-missing-anything-i-just-think-too/) [Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/) > [What truly gives me joy is when I get a letter from a young woman who says they saw a programme, then read a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-worsley/what-truly-gives-me-joy-is-when-i-get-a-letter-from-a-young-woman-who/) [Lucy Worsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-worsley/) > [...nothing wonderful lasted forever. Joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-wonderful-lasted-forever-joy-was-as-fleeting-as-a-shooting/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I do a lot of writing in my capacity as the creative director for a marketing agency. These days, though, I'm trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/i-do-a-lot-of-writing-in-my-capacity-as-the-creative-director-for-a/) [Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/) > [Tonight I have inundated you with the mystical kundalini. Now, of course, I'm moving into the supra-conscious; it's kind of a doubleheader this evening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/tonight-i-have-inundated-you-with-the-mystical-kundalini-now-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Can You see that as soon as the day breaks I think of You? As evening comes, I am near You. I am near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-galgani/can-you-see-that-as-soon-as-the-day-breaks-i-think-of-you-as-evening/) [Gemma Galgani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-galgani/) [Browse all 1,949 Evening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evening/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I look back into past history, the stored experiences or products of the imagination. 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