“Not every novel that wants to be a tragedy gets to be one.” — Jane Smiley Quote

“Not every novel that wants to be a tragedy gets to be one.”

“One of the profound effects of economics in our day is that the people with the money and the power have embraced the guilt-free, external-less, everything-will-turn-out-okay-in-the-end philosophy of economics in order to justify their own evil works. And the economists, for the most part, have sucked up to that money.”

“Why are we reading a Shakespeare play or 'Huckleberry Finn?' Well, because these works are great, but they also tell us something about the times in which they were created. Unfortunately, previous eras and dead authors often used language or accepted as normal sentiments that we now find unacceptable.”

“Comedy is tragedy that happens to other people.”

“Even in the face of tragedy, human beings need to find a way to laugh. It's normal. It's life.”

“Tragedy is turning out films like 'Match Point.'”