I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a bibliophile in that word's natural sense.

Quote by Norman MacCaig

Topics: Norman MacCaig Quotes

And if they haven't got poetry in them, there's nothing you can do that will...

And if they haven't got poetry in them, there's nothing you can do that will...

All I write about is what's happened to me and to people I know, and...

All I write about is what's happened to me and to people I know, and...

And it's impossible for me to read Henry James.

And it's impossible for me to read Henry James.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

Anybody who writes doesn't like to be misunderstood.

Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in...

Well, I love fishing. I wouldn't kill a fly myself but I've no hesitation in...

It's like breathing in and out to me. It's like having a conversation with someone...

It's like breathing in and out to me. It's like having a conversation with someone...

I used to have a great love for Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, the big boys of...

I used to have a great love for Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy, the big boys of...

Well, I'm a light traveller. I chuck things away.

Well, I'm a light traveller. I chuck things away.

I find it's impossible for me to read Proust.

I find it's impossible for me to read Proust.

A terrible thing about getting oldish is that your friends start dying, and in the...

A terrible thing about getting oldish is that your friends start dying, and in the...

And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.

And the second question, can poetry be taught? I didn't think so.

I said I have no powers of invention. Well, I also have no powers of...

I said I have no powers of invention. Well, I also have no powers of...

If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk...

If I wrote a play with four characters every single one of them would talk...

I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now.

I was very interested in American poetry for many years. Much less now.

But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to...

But you'd have a job to find many of my poems which would seem to...

When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk...

When I was a teacher, teachers would come into my classroom and admire my desk...

There are some friends you don't meet for twenty years and when you meet them...

There are some friends you don't meet for twenty years and when you meet them...

I only keep books that I like very much. Otherwise I'd throw them out.

I only keep books that I like very much. Otherwise I'd throw them out.

And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions...

And in a way, that's been a help to me, because I take great passions...

All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry...

All those authors there, most of whom of course I've never met. That's the poetry...