That is one thing I've learned, that it is possible to really understand things at certain points, and not be able to retain them, to be in utter confusion just a short while later. I used to think that once you really knew a thing, its truth would shine on forever. Now it's pretty obvious to me that more often than not the batteries fade, and sometimes what you knew even goes out with a bang when you try to call on it, just like a lightbulb cracking off when you throw the switch.
Ann PatchettThe secret is to keep adding voices, adding ideas, and moving things around as you put together your life. If youโre lucky, putting together your life is a process that will last through every single day youโre alive.
Ann PatchettSome people need a huge amount of attention, and they are worthy of that attention, and they're still exhausting.
Ann PatchettI think, if you want to grow a novelist, for that person to have a lot of boring time trying to entertain themselves is very important.
Ann Patchett