Tony D'Souza Quotes & Sayings

Every gift is held by two hands: the one that gives, and the one that takes away. — Tony D'Souza

It is good that a man should have his wife close at hand. It makes the spirit happy and guards against insanity. — Tony D'Souza

When I first read 'On the Road,' it helped me figure out how to live against the grain. Now I wonder how to be subversive when the subversive has become mainstream. — Tony D'Souza

Drive fast and swerve a lot. — Tony D'Souza

Let the weight of the stars lay on our chests — Tony D'Souza

In the time it takes American literary titan William H. Gass to write a novel, other artists have been born, completed their life's work and died. That may be an exaggeration, but only a slight one. — Tony D'Souza

The O. Henry has become lingua franca among writers for saying, 'That guy can write a story.' It's prestigious, respected, coveted, dreamed about. It's very satisfying to be included in this group of writers. Here's a koan: Could O. Henry win an O. Henry? — Tony D'Souza

Nicaragua is a World Bank and International Monetary Fund designated 'heavily indebted poor country,' with little legal ability to control its economic future: Everything is for sale. And once Nicaraguans decide to cash in and sell their houses or farms, they have to look far inland for anything affordable. — Tony D'Souza

I'm sorry that I hurt you."
"You didn't hurt me." There was a long pause on the phone. Then she said,"You are going to hurt from this longer than I ever will. It's true that I didn't know what kind of Indian you were. But what hurts me most is to know what kind of man. — Tony D'Souza

Discipline is what makes a writer. If writing was like lifting weights, then I'd look like Mr. Universe. Write every day. Give the Muse a chance to get to know you. — Tony D'Souza

Whole villages of Muslims had been hacked to pieces by drunken Christian youth, and as foreigners, we should have been pulled out by the organization. But the U.S. government supported the Christian tribes, just as the French had all through the colonial days, and to pull us out would have meant admitting that things weren't as stable for their puppet government as the western companies, trading in Ivory Coast for cocoa, rubber, and timber, and selling Coke and cigarettes, wanted to hear. — Tony D'Souza

I have no doubt that 'On the Road' is a Great American Novel. But I'm also certain my students will do fine without it. — Tony D'Souza

Oh, man, why is this the life? Why is it? Why is one rich and the other poor? Why is one black and the other white? — Tony D'Souza

The only proof of God in the world was color. Everything would have worked the same without it. So why would the world have been made so full of color if there wasn't a God? — Tony D'Souza

When I grew up in the early '90s, the new World Wide Web felt like a gimmick, and I had no idea of the changes in store. In the summers, I'd backpack through Europe, follow the Grateful Dead. I had a car and a tent and traveled around the Great Lakes and out West. Jack Kerouac was my guiding light, his 'On the Road' a sacred text. — Tony D'Souza

Of course you are American,' he said, and waived his hand, like waving away the sentiment. 'What other country can throw away money sending its people to live with savages? — Tony D'Souza

I once waited on Sean Connery. A long time ago. This was at the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh. They closed down the restaurant for him, and when he walked in with his morning paper, all the waitresses started squealing. He was a big guy, bigger than in the movies. — Tony D'Souza

I should be writing a poem every morning but I'm not. — Tony D'Souza

It is not good to be so much away from one's own people. It is the sort of thing known to make one strange. — Tony D'Souza

In a way, 'On the Road's greatest victory is that nobody's eyes will be opened any longer by reading it; the last time I met any young people who were actually 'on the road' was when I covered Occupy St. Louis. Those few, dirty kids were fighting a battle even they couldn't articulate. — Tony D'Souza