Monday, July 13, 2009

Orlando



I just finished reading Orlando by Virginia Woolf a few hours ago, and it was a new experience. Besides it being the first book I've read for Woolf, it was just surprisingly thought provoking and it's really a rich novel, I really liked. The little details, and the writing style, it's all brilliant.

So, here are a few quotes that I liked:

"Sunk for a long time in profound thoughts as to the value of obscurity, and the delight of having no name, but being like a wave which returns to the deep body of the sea... for, he thought Shakespeare must have written like that, and the church builders like that, anonymously needing no thanking or naming, but only their work in the day time, and a little ale perhaps at night...
Better it was to go unknown and leave behind you an arch, a potting shed, a wall where peaches ripen, than to burn like a meteor and leave no dust"
Pages 50, 51

"they will yet endure ridicule and misunderstanding than keep any experience to themselves"
Page 70
(they as in human beings, and I think this is the best quote ever, I just love it because I can easily relate to it, it's kind of the reason why I talk a lot, and she just puts it sooo well! Beautiful...)

I have to thank Mohammed for recommending this book, so thanks a lot!!!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Aww I like the second quote a lot as well! It's great you're posting fragments you liked the most from the novels you are reading, habibti :D!

Mohammad said...

You're welcome :)

The quotes are amazing! I don't remember recognizing them while reading, and back then it was still hard for me to read English. I was still equipped with the dictionary :)

I loved both quotes really, but the 2nd rings a bell. I think I'm like that, not that I have much experience anyway :)