30 Russell Smith Quotes for You to Enjoy

Russell Smith

Canadian Novelist

Born: Aug 2, 1963

Book Men People Will World You

Related authors: Claire Cameron David Bergen Joy Fielding Margaret Atwood Mordecai Richler Robertson Davies Ruth Ozeki

All coffee shops now have WiFi. Why bring a book when you could be wittily attacking some idiot columnist on Twitter, or responding to your date requests, or posting a picture of your foot? All of that is more gripping and immediate and social than books. Russell Smith

You Book Coffee Picture Idiot Twitter Books Immediate Responding Posting Some More Date Attacking Could Foot Columnist Than Shops Social Gripping Requests Your Now Why Coffee Shops Bring

It's great that I can look up a fact instantly on my cellphone, but I miss the days in my room with a dog-eared, text-heavy paperback, immersed in the statistics of crime and punishment and lunacy, completely alone with the narrative of human depravity. Russell Smith

Alone Great Crime Paperback Punishment Immersed Statistics Fact Instantly Miss Days Look Narrative Up Human Room Lunacy

Calls for the simplification of abstract or allusive art have always come from governments suspicious of artists themselves. This is why totalitarian regimes have always legislated some form of realism. Russell Smith

Art Some Totalitarian Simplification Abstract Come Calls Always Governments Artists Suspicious Form Realism Regimes Themselves Why

The only thing that makes a book YA is that it is about teenagers, and it is written in a very conventional, non-artsy, non-pretentious way. YA is not the place for the oblique or the cryptic. If it is in any way experimental in form, it is not YA. Russell Smith

Book Teenagers Way About Only Oblique Written Ya Makes Very Any The Only Thing Conventional Form Experimental Place Thing

Personally, I see little distinction between an artistic mentality and criminality. You couldn't possibly create a compelling story without some wickedness or some fascination with the disgusting. Being good is a hindrance to a writer. Russell Smith

Good You Criminality Distinction Possibly See Some Mentality Writer Between Hindrance Without Artistic Being Disgusting Story Little Personally Create Fascination Wickedness Compelling

Wear your clothes with abandon, I say; don't keep them pristine as if for museums: They are meant to wear out. Then you get to buy new ones. Russell Smith

Buy You Clothes Say Abandon Out Wear New Pristine New Ones Get Them Then Meant Your Keep Museums

The YA category is an entirely new one, and seems to have more to do with readability than with age group or theme. The adult YA readers I know do actually consistently say that they are looking for an easy read, a fun read, an unchallenging read. Russell Smith

The novel is just fine: It's novelists who aren't doing so well. Russell Smith

Fine Well Doing Just Who Novel Novelists

Unseasonal clothing actually only stands out when it's visibly uncomfortable. Russell Smith

Visibly Out Only Uncomfortable Clothing Stands Actually

My son craves picture books about Transformers and Ninja Turtles and the Hulk; they show one fantastic creature smashing or zapping another into smithereens on page after page. They are dull and ugly and show no interesting stories or models of conflict resolution or character building. Russell Smith

Character Son Conflict Ugly Picture Building Books Ninja About Picture Books Smashing Another Dull Models Hulk Stories After Craves Transformers Interesting Fantastic Interesting Stories Page Show Creature Resolution

I am so sick of being exhorted, as a writer, to improve the world by representing it in a more hopeful way. Russell Smith

World Sick Way Hopeful More Writer Am Improve Representing Being

One of the qualities essential to writing exciting stories, whether for page or screen, is an ability to abandon one's morality. We simply cannot be good writers and good people. One must be able to access one's darkest self, one's venality and pettiness and murderousness. Russell Smith

Good People Writing Darkest Good People Abandon Must Ability Able Morality Writers Self Simply Exciting Qualities Access Essential Screen Stories Cannot Whether Page Pettiness

Songs are great. I love songs. I sing them in the shower sometimes. They can be poignant or cheery or angry, and they can have catchy and satisfying melodies. There's nothing wrong with songs. Russell Smith

Love Great Angry Sometimes Love Songs Nothing Melodies Poignant Songs Wrong Catchy Sing Them Shower Satisfying

No matter how fine your suit and your shoes, you will remind everyone that you are not yet a grownup man by wearing them with your old college knapsack, in its nasty, nylon glory. Russell Smith

You Man Matter Old Will College Shoes Everyone Fine Wearing Remind Glory How Nasty Them Your Grownup Suit

I dislike turtlenecks at the best of times, as they are always unflattering to the imperfect male physique, but when worn in combination with a v-neck sweater, they say 'Grandpa' louder than any other item of clothing. Russell Smith

Best Other Worn Say Imperfect Physique Combination Always Male Item Louder Times Than Any Clothing Dislike Sweater Grandpa They Say

Yes, the hunky barista looks even more terrifically masculine with three days' growth on his chin. Guys under 50 mostly do. But when your beard is partly or largely grey, that stubble can just look a little unwashed. Sadly, when you're over 50, different rules apply. Russell Smith

You Beard Three Rules Guys More Masculine Over Days Sadly Look Looks Mostly Partly His Yes Just Different Grey Chin Little Your Even Largely Growth Apply

The only pleasurable part of taking the subway, as everyone will agree, is concocting elaborate fantasies about what it would be like to be married to the most interesting strangers you see there. Russell Smith

If people didn't read books on the subway, underground journeys would be dreary. Russell Smith

People Books Would Would-Be Dreary Journeys Underground Read Subway

Guys think that the military associations of camo are going to make them look tough, as if they might just break out a shotgun and take down a passing duck at any given moment. I'm not so sure. Russell Smith

Frosh-week songs are meant to be offensive because offensive is rebellious. Russell Smith

Songs Because Offensive Meant Meant To Be Rebellious

A suit is just a suit: a practical garment, not a ceremonial robe; it can be worn out to dinner with friends or for a visit to an art gallery. Its beauty and craftsmanship are utterly wasted if you think of it as something magical and symbolic. Russell Smith

Men over 60 often think that if they wear athletic shoes - soft-soled referee shoes or hiking shoes or actual running shoes - then they will look more youthful. The contrary is true. Russell Smith

Will Men Shoes Think Running Athletic Wear More True Over Hiking Look Referee Contrary Often Then Youthful Actual

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