My favourite quotes #9

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(…) what William James wrote on forgetting a word or name; a tantalizing, empty shape remains, almost but not quite defining the idea it once contained. Even as you struggle against the numbness of poor recall, you know precisely what the forgotten thing is not.

From "Saturday" by Ian McEwan

As I struggle each day to find exactly the right word in the right language, I like this quote because it clearly describes the feeling of knowing what you want to say even when you're not able to retrieve from your mind the combination of letters you're looking for.

What are your favourite quotes? Share them on Twitter or in the comments below!

Comments

  1. Anonymous2 May 2011 at 19:22

    Fabulous quote! I loved Saturday and I think that Ian McEwan, is one of todays greatest living writers, he writes so elegantly, he's a joy to read!

    ReplyDelete

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