Books Quote by Nina George
““What do you do when you can’t go on, Monsieur Perdu?” he asked wearily. “Me? Nothing.” Next to nothing. I take night walks through Paris until I’m tired. I clean Lulu’s engine, the hull and the windows, and I keep the boat ready to go, right down to the last screw, even though it hasn’t gone anywhere in two decades. I read books—twenty at a time. Everywhere: on the toilet, in the kitchen, in cafés, on the metro. I do jigsaw puzzles that take up the whole floor, destroy them when I’ve finished and then start all over again. I feed stray cats. I arrange my groceries in alphabetical order. I sometimes take sleeping tablets. I take a dose of Rilke to wake up. I don’t read any books in which women like —— crop up. I gradually turn to stone. I carry on. The same every day. That’s the only way I can survive. But other than that, no, I do nothing. Perdu””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Perpetual Wanderer by Nina George, 2019
A character copes with stagnation by filling days with repetitive, meaningless tasks, highlighting the human need for routine amid existential emptiness.
In simple terms: Routine masks emptiness.
Key Takeaway
Create small daily rituals.
Themes
routine
existentialism
loneliness
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily chores
- reading
- puzzles
- feeding cats
- alphabetizing groceries
Key Concepts
absurdism
habit formation
Questions to Reflect On
- What purpose do your routines serve?
- How can you find meaning beyond habit?
A Different Perspective
Routine can become a trap, preventing growth.
