Basma Saad

“People could behave how they liked, but Allan considered that in general it was quite unnecessary to be grumpy if you had the chance not to.”
― Jonas Jonasson, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

“I shall destroy capitalism! Do you hear! I shall destroy every single capitalist! And I shall start with you, you dog, if you don't help us with the bomb!'
Allan noted that the had managed to be both a rat and a dog in the course of a minute or so. And that Stalin was being rather inconsistent, because now he wanted to use Allan's services after all.
But Allan wasn't going to sit there and listen to this abuse any longer. He had come to Moscow to help them out, not to be shouted at. Stalin would have to manage on his own.
'I've been thinking,' said Allan.
'What,' said Stalin angrily.
'Why don't you shave off that moustache?'
With that the dinner was over, because the interpreter fainted.”
― Jonas Jonasson, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

“Past and history are not the same. Past is what happened. It consists of events that affected the patient's self, some of which he can remember, but the most he is having trouble remembering. History is transforming the past to a story that the person tells himself. Sometimes, the story stems from the past, but even the most sincere patient's history is more like a myth.
(Translated from the Hebrew edition).”
― Christopher Bollas, The Infinite Question

“يجب أن تنظر، وهذه قاعدة أخرى من قواعدنا. اغماض العينين لن بغير شيء. لا شيء سيختفي لمجرد أنك لا تريد أن تراه. بل، ستجد أن الامر ازداد سوءاً في المرة التالية التي تنظر فيها. هذا هو العالم الذي نحيا فيه. أبق عينيك مفتوحتين على وسعهما. الجبان فقط هو من يغمض عينيه. اغماض عينيك وسد أذنيك لن يوقف الزمن." (on page 194 of 621)”
― هاروكي موراكامي - كافكا على الشاطيء