Sherman Alexie
"As a child, I read because books–violent and not, blasphemous and not, terrifying and not–were the most loving and trustworthy things in my life. I read widely, and loved plenty of the classics so, yes, I recognized the domestic terrors faced by Louisa May Alcott’s March sisters. But I became the kid chased by werewolves, vampires, and evil clowns in Stephen King’s books. I read books about monsters and monstrous things, often written with monstrous language, because they taught me how to battle the real monsters in my life. And now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don’t write to protect them. It’s far too late for that. I write to give them weapons–in the form of words and ideas-that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed."
30 Quotes
"As a child, I read because books–violent and not, blasphemous and not, terrifying and not–were the most loving and trustworthy things in my life. I read widely, and loved plenty of the classics so, yes, I recognized the domestic terrors faced by Louisa May Alcott’s March sisters. But I became the kid chased by werewolves, vampires, and evil clowns in Stephen King’s books. I read books about monsters and monstrous things, often written with monstrous language, because they taught me how to battle the real monsters in my life. And now I write books for teenagers because I vividly remember what it felt like to be a teen facing everyday and epic dangers. I don’t write to protect them. It’s far too late for that. I write to give them weapons–in the form of words and ideas-that will help them fight their monsters. I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed."
"في طفولتي، كنت أقرأ لأن الكتب – بكل ما فيها من عنف أو رقة، تجديف أو قداسة، رعب أو سكينة – كانت أصدق وأحنّ ما في حياتي. قرأتُ على نطاق واسع، وأحببتُ الكثير من الكلاسيكيات، لذا، نعم، أدركتُ تمامًا الأهوال المنزلية التي واجهتها أخوات مارش للويزا ماي ألكوت. لكنني أصبحتُ الفتى الذي تطارده المستذئبون ومصاصو الدماء والمهرجون الأشرار في كتب ستيفن كينغ. قرأتُ كتبًا عن الوحوش والأشياء الوحشية، التي غالبًا ما كُتبت بلغة وحشية، لأنها علمتني كيف أحارب الوحوش الحقيقية في حياتي.
والآن أكتب كتبًا للمراهقين لأنني أتذكر بوضوح ما كان عليه شعور المراهق وهو يواجه مخاطر يومية وجسيمة. لا أكتب لحمايتهم؛ فقد فات الأوان على ذلك بكثير. أكتب لأمنحهم أسلحة – في شكل كلمات وأفكار – تساعدهم على محاربة وحوشهم. أكتب بالدم لأنني أتذكر ما كان عليه شعور النزف."
Sherman Alexie
"What kind of life can you have in a house without books?"
"أيّ حياةٍ تلك التي تُقضى في بيتٍ خالٍ من الكتب؟"
Sherman Alexie
Flight
"I grabbed my book and opened it up. I wanted to smell it. Heck, I wanted to kiss it. Yes, kiss it. That's right, I am a book kisser. Maybe that's kind of perverted or maybe it's just romantic and highly intelligent."
"تناولت كتابي وفتحته. أردت أن أشم رائحته. بل، أردت أن أقبّله. نعم، أقبّله. هذا صحيح، أنا مقبّل كتب. ربما يبدو هذا منحرفًا بعض الشيء، أو ربما هو رومانسيٌّ وذو ذكاءٍ رفيع."
Sherman Alexie
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
"My father was always depressed. When he was home and sober, he was mostly in his room."
"كان أبي دائمًا غارقًا في كآبته. وحين يكون في البيت صاحيًا، كان يقضي معظم وقته في غرفته."
Sherman Alexie
"In high school I dated a white woman. She would come to visit me on the rez. And her dad, who was very racist, didn't like that at all. And he told her one time, 'You shouldn't go on the rez if you're white because Indians have a lot of anger in their heart."
"في المرحلة الثانوية، واعدتُ امرأة بيضاء. كانت تزورني في المحمية، ووالدها، الذي كان عنصريًا جدًا، لم يرق له ذلك على الإطلاق. وقد قال لها ذات مرة: "لا ينبغي لكِ الذهاب إلى المحمية إذا كنتِ بيضاء، لأن الهنود يحملون الكثير من الغضب في قلوبهم."
Sherman Alexie
"You know, people speak in poetry all the time. They just don't realize it."
"الناس يتحدثون شعرًا طوال الوقت، لكنهم لا يدركون ذلك."
Sherman Alexie
"My wife was the first romantic partner who understood both American and native parts of me - not so much the positive stuff, but the damage."
"كانت زوجتي أول شريكة حياة تفهم كلا الجزأين مني، الأمريكي والأصيل، لا سيما ما فيهما من جراح لا من محاسن."
Sherman Alexie
"I'm a method writer. In order to write about the emotion, I have to experience it. I get physically tired and exhausted, devoting hours and hours and hours to it."
"أنا كاتب منهجي. لأكتب عن العاطفة، عليّ أن أعيشها. أُصاب بالإرهاق والتعب الجسدي، مكرساً لها ساعات وساعات وساعات."
Sherman Alexie
"When you read a piece of writing that you admire, send a note of thanks to the author."
"عندما تطالع نصًا يأسرك إعجابًا، ابعث رسالة شكر لكاتبه."
Sherman Alexie
"My father was sleepless most of his life. So by the age of five, I was awake with him all night long, watching bad television or we'd lie in the same bed, and I'd read my comic books while he read his latest spy or mystery novel."
Sherman Alexie
"I don't have to participate in another culture's ceremonies in order to respect that culture."
Sherman Alexie
"When my female friends are left By horrid spouses and lovers,I commiserate. I send gifts-Powwow songs and poems- and wonder Why my gorgeous friends cannot find Someone who knows them as I do. Is the whole world dead and blind?I tell my friends, “I’d marry you Tomorrow.” I think I’m engaged To thirty-six women, my harem:Platonic, bookish, and enraged. I love them! But it would scare them-No, of course, they already know That I can be just one more boy,A toy warrior who explodes Into silence and warpaths with joy."
Sherman Alexie
"Gay people were seen as magical, too. I mean, like in many cultures, men were viewed as warriors and women were viewed as caregivers. But gay people, being both male and female, were seen as both warriors and caregivers. Gay people could do anything. They were like Swiss Army knives!"
Sherman Alexie
"Like officer Dave. He's never said much about his life, but I can tell he's scarred. And he knows I'm scarred too. The wounded always recognize the wounded. We can smell each other."
Sherman Alexie
"Walk the midway and hear the carnival barker. Come see the freak named after his deceased father. Come see the prince who wants to abdicate his throne. Come see the son whose name is carved on a gravestone."
Sherman Alexie
"Sure, we thought the acres That we tilled were sacred,But how could we have known That wheat can haunt like ghosts"
Sherman Alexie
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