Peter Stamm Quotes & Sayings

Fear is the possibility of freedom. — Peter Stamm

If I had wanted only to make lots of money, I would have chosen a different profession. — Peter Stamm

When I really feel like dancing, I want someone who knows how to lead. — Peter Stamm

If it's reality you want, I suggest you look out the window. — Peter Stamm

Dust was time in material form, Hubert could no longer remember who had said it, or where he had read it. At any rate, a lot of time seemed to have collected in his studio, because there was a thin, almost transparent layer of dust over everything. — Peter Stamm

That's the thing with reality, he said, you can't repeat it to order, you can't correct it. Perhaps we should read more books. — Peter Stamm

You mustn't expect too much," I said. "Happiness consists of wanting what you get. — Peter Stamm

Beautiful landscapes are no use for good paintings. — Peter Stamm

If you shared your happiness with journalists, you shouldn't be surprised if they were interested in your misfortune as well. — Peter Stamm

A little wolf is present in every one of us. — Peter Stamm

The only driver for his work was desire, a kind of hunger for reality, for presence, and also for intimacy, as opposed to publicity. In a very wide sense, he was interested in transcendence. — Peter Stamm

It feels to me as thought I've become the character in it, and the character's life ends when the books does. I suppose there are times I'm glad too. Then the ending is like coming out of a bad dream, and I feel all light and free, reborn. I sometimes wonder whether writers really know what they're doing to us readers. [...] I don't read much anymore [...] maybe for that reason. Because I didn't want books to have me in their power. It's like poison. I imagined I'd become immune. But you never become immune. On the contrary. — Peter Stamm