Ben Okri
Ben Okri
Ben Okri OBE FRSLis a Nigerian poet and novelist. Okri is considered one of the foremost African authors in the post-modern and post-colonial traditions and has been compared favourably to authors such as Salman Rushdie and Gabriel García Márquez...
NationalityNigerian
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth15 March 1959
CountryNigeria
writing past circles
I'm conscious of a series of circles working its way through my life. And at this particular moment I have come round to the beginning of my writing cycle. It begins with poetry. There's hardly a day that goes past on which I don't write poetry.
stress writing hands
I was born left-handed, but I was made to use my other hand. When I was writing 'Famished Road,' which was very long, I got repetitive stress syndrome. My right wrist collapsed, so I started using my left hand. The prose I wrote with my left hand came out denser, so later on I had to change it.
book reading writing
Reading, like writing, is a creative act. If readers only bring a narrow range of themselves to the book, then they'll only see their narrow range reflected in it.
writing reader
The best writing is not about the writer, the best writing is absolutely not about the writer, it's about us, it's about the reader.
men able sometimes
A man must be able to hold his drink because drunkenness is sometimes necessary in this difficult life.
perfect mind stories
To see the madness and yet walk a perfect silver line. ... That's what the true story-teller should be: a great guide, a clear mind, who can walk a silver line in hell or madness.
inspirational dream real
We can still astonish the gods in humanity And be the stuff of future legends, If we but dare to be real, And have the courage to see That this is the time to dream The best dream of them all.
power vision should
If we are true, if we can love, if we have vision, if we can have courage, we can, we should, we ought to, we will...
artist broken enemy
Wholeness is the enemy of the artist. We ought to be broken, ruined in some way.
people healthy stories
People are as healthy and confident as the stories they tell themselves.
spirit enchanted
We are living in enchanted time. With our spirits right.
scientist
I was going to be a scientist.
home homeless
To anyone who is homeless, I say, find a home.
gold yards neglect
Don't neglect the gold in your own back yard.