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Michael Winter Quotes

Powerful Michael Winter for Daily Growth

About Michael Winter

Michael Winter is a renowned Canadian novelist and short story writer, born in Moncton, New Brunswick, on February 7, 1962. Raised in a family that valued literature and creativity, Michael's passion for writing was nurtured from an early age. After completing his Bachelor of Arts at the University of King's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Michael pursued a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia (UBC). His academic journey culminated in 1996 with the publication of "The Architects Are Here," his first collection of short stories. Michael's literary career gained significant momentum with the release of his debut novel, "Credit," in 2003. Set in the aftermath of the 1985 Air India bombing, this powerful work explores themes of loss, identity, and redemption. It was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. In 2009, Michael published "Minister Without Portfolio," a novel that delves into the complexities of Newfoundland politics and the lives of its people during the early years of Confederation. This work was shortlisted for the Giller Prize again. Michael's most recent work, "Five Wives," published in 2018, is a sweeping historical novel that tells the story of a polygamous family in rural Newfoundland during the early 20th century. This masterful narrative earned him his third Giller Prize shortlist. Throughout his career, Michael has been influenced by Canadian literature, history, and the people who populate his beloved Atlantic Canada. His writing is characterized by its rich detail, poetic prose, and deep empathy for his characters. Michael Winter continues to enchant readers with his captivating storytelling and insightful explorations of the human condition.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The best way out is always through."

The quote "The best way out is always through" implies that challenges, obstacles, or difficult situations in life should be faced head-on instead of avoiding them. It suggests that the only effective method to overcome these hurdles is by confronting them directly, working through them, and learning from the experience. Avoidance may provide temporary relief, but it does not lead to resolution or growth.

"You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

This quote by Michael Winter signifies the importance of taking risks and venturing into uncharted territories, even if it means temporarily losing sight of familiar comforts or known successes. It implies that in order to make progress, explore new possibilities, or achieve greatness, one must be brave enough to leave behind what is safe and step out into unknown waters. The 'ocean' here represents the vast potential for growth and discovery, while the 'shore' symbolizes comfort zones, familiarity, and safety. The courage to lose sight of the shore means having the audacity to pursue dreams, innovate, and push boundaries, understanding that such risks might lead to great rewards.

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

This quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity in today's society, where there is often pressure to conform to certain norms or expectations. Being oneself, as Michael Winter suggests, means staying true to one's individuality and resisting the urge to fit into a mold created by external forces. This greatest accomplishment lies in overcoming societal pressures and remaining faithful to one's own identity and values. It underscores the significance of self-acceptance and authentic expression in personal growth and development.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

The quote suggests that life is not about how long we live, but rather the memorable and impactful experiences we encounter during our existence. These exceptional moments are the ones that truly define and shape our lives, leaving lasting impressions on us and often shaping our perspectives about ourselves and the world around us. So, living a meaningful life means seeking out and cherishing these breath-taking moments.

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

This quote suggests that individual speed (going fast) is achievable independently, but lasting progress or significant distance (going far) requires collaboration and teamwork. It implies that while solo efforts can be swift, the collective power of many working towards a common goal will lead to greater, more impactful results in the long run.

When you join the army, you are asked to lay down your life for your country. That is a tremendous oath to take. In return, a good country should offer that soldier every possible means it can to allow that soldier to stay alive and, upon return, healthy - both mentally and physically.

- Michael Winter

Country, Alive, Allow, Asked

If you look at footage of the Newfoundland Regiment, you see they are at rest and giddy and being silly with one another. Silliness is the antidote to trench warfare.

- Michael Winter

Rest, Silly, Footage, Trench

We found letters at the house we bought from a sailor to his wife who lived in the house. He went down to the Caribbean on this trader vessel, bringing down salted fish. There would be handwritten letters, but also telegrams, saying which ports he was in. And he'd be gone for three months. That was just the way it is.

- Michael Winter

House, Down, Ports, Vessel

Linda Svendsen's 'Marine Life' was important. I was nearly 22. Larry Mathews discussed the book in a creative writing class. We examined her stories, figured out how they worked.

- Michael Winter

Stories, Discussed, Nearly, Larry

I've never in my life categorized a year of my life as good or bad. I just think I'm living a good life, warts and all.

- Michael Winter

My Life, Think, Living, Categorized

The fantastic thing about the memorial to the Newfoundland Regiment at Beaumont-Hamel is that it's one of the rare examples where they've preserved a battlefield more or less as it was. You can see all the trenches, where the British were, where the Germans lined up.

- Michael Winter

British, About, More Or Less, Lined

If I didn't write sex scenes, all my characters would head to the kitchen and make cups of tea.

- Michael Winter

Sex, Head, Characters, Kitchen

How does the past ambush us? How can we be accurate about what happened, how can we be true to it? And can war be declared over? And can we ever evolve from the notion of war, of nations, of us versus them?

- Michael Winter

Past, Over, Accurate, Versus

I plan to live to be 98, so I'll be the guy at Dundas and Yonge flogging a box of mouldy novels.

- Michael Winter

Plan, Box, Guy, Novels

Beaumont-Hamel sits within a thousand acres of French agriculture. The trenches are under this blanket of grass. In the 1920s, a park was established here and trees from Newfoundland imported to encircle the battlefield so you get the feeling of being within a copse of woods.

- Michael Winter

Trees, Here, 1920s, Encircle

Before Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, there was the same sort of talk of young men sacrificing their lives so that a country might grow - that somehow it had been a great nation-building success for Newfoundland.

- Michael Winter

Grow, Country, Been, Sacrificing

Hockey wasn't invented but discovered. The game, and the large organizing idea behind Stephen Smith's deeply personal 'Puckstruck,' sleeps in ponds and in the crooked limbs of trees overhead; we merely pluck a stick from the sky and skate over the frozen world to find ourselves and each other.

- Michael Winter

Game, Behind, Discovered, Skate

I didn't like filtering the story through me, saying, 'Reader, you'll be safe with me. While it gets a little dangerous, it'll be okay because, after all, you're with me, because I'm a warm convivial voice. But let's be entertained by this horrible stuff.' I didn't like that.

- Michael Winter

Voice, Through, Reader, Entertained

There are scenes from books I'm happy with. I tend to think my books are all broken. But then my favourite reads are almost always books that don't, in the end, pull off what they set out to do.

- Michael Winter

Broken, Think, Always, In The End

To me, the idea that any kind of disaster helps create a nation seems a ridiculous one. There was no family in the house on the land next to me, and there might have been.

- Michael Winter

Nation, Next, Been, Disaster

Through an arbitrary problem, I had arrived at a tenet of good writing: brevity wins.

- Michael Winter

Through, Arrived, Wins, Brevity

You can't go wrong with major life and death stories when it comes to a competition, so I thought I'd have a go at writing one.

- Michael Winter

Death, Thought, Stories, Life And Death

I approached writing a story for the CBC Literary Awards as a mercenary venture - $5,000 for one story, not bad. Now, how do you win it? Jurors are wading through skyscrapers of paper, looking for one story that stands out.

- Michael Winter

Bad, Through, Mercenary, Skyscrapers

'Into the Blizzard' follows the author as he traces the footsteps of the Newfoundland Regiment during the First World War: where they trained in Scotland, where they fought in Gallipoli and where they died at the Battle of the Somme in France.

- Michael Winter

Trained, Fought, World War, First World War

Wild and urban at the same time - that's the type of woman I'm with.

- Michael Winter

Woman, Same, Urban, Wild

I've grown up, luckily, with only a distant relationship to war and soldiering.

- Michael Winter

War, Only, Distant, Luckily

The truth is, everybody falls into an incinerator of some measure or other. Not literally one. The question is what are you going to do with those bad times? Are you just going to let them gnaw at you?

- Michael Winter

Some, Other, Everybody, Bad Times

A few years ago, I was trying to buy a piece of land next to a house I had in Newfoundland. I discovered that the plot had been owned by a family, and the son had gone off to World War I and been killed. It began to interest me: What would have happened on that land if the son had lived, had brought up his own family there?

- Michael Winter

Next, World War I, Been, Owned

The greatness of being an artist is the kind of ridiculous guffaw you can have at one's own misery. 'That was miserable! Now how can I write about it?'

- Michael Winter

Greatness, Artist, I Write, Miserable

If you are having trouble with a story, it may not be an issue with the quality of the writing - there may just be too much of it.

- Michael Winter

May, Having, Issue, Just Be

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