All I write about is what's happened to me and to people I know, and the better I know them, the more likely they are to be written about.

Quote by Norman MacCaig

Topics: Norman MacCaig Quotes

But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice...

But I hang on to books. I love them. I even think they're very nice...

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...

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 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...

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.

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

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

I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a...

I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a...

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...

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...

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.

When I go fishing I like to know that there's nobody within five miles of...

When I go fishing I like to know that there's nobody within five miles 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'm very gregarious, but I love being in the hills on my own.

I'm very gregarious, but I love being in the hills on my own.

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

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

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...

I used to fish the Border rivers, but nowadays you have to queue up for...

I used to fish the Border rivers, but nowadays you have to queue up for...

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...

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...

I never think about poetry except when I'm writing it. I mean my poetry.

I never think about poetry except when I'm writing it. I mean my poetry.