"I DO NOT PROMISE HAPPINESS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.  YOU NEW WORLD PEOPLE ARE, WHAT IS THE WORD, HIPPED ON HAPPINESS, AS IF IT WERE A CONSTANT AND MEASURABLE THING, AND SETTLED AND EXCUSED EVERYTHING.  IF IT IS ANYTHING AT ALL IT IS A BY-PRODUCT OF OTHER CONDITIONS OF LIFE, AND SOME PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE AT ALL ENVIABLE, OR INDEED, ADMIRABLE, ARE HAPPY.  FORGET ABOUT HAPPINESS,"

- ROBERTSON DAVIES, THE MANTICORE, (1972)

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FOLLOWING CORMAC MCARTHY'S 'THE ROAD', THIS IS MY 2nd FAVOURITE WORK OF FICTION.  BOTH BOOKS I HAVE RE-READ FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS MONTH AND THIS ONE ESPECIALLY I FIND IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY RELEVANT FOR ME AS I GET OLDER, AND REACH A PHASE (ONE I'M RELUCTANT TO CALL NOSTALGIC, WHICH IS A VERY PASSIVE TERM) OF LAYING ALL MY GHOSTS, AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING MY SUBJECTIVE NATURE.

"TO LIVE IS TO BATTLE WITH TROLLS

IN THE VAULTS OF HEART AND BRAIN.

TO WRITE: THAT IS TO SIT

IN JUDGEMENT OVER ONE'S SELF."

- HENRIK IBSEN