I must admit my ignorance as to Henning Mankell, whose name I have to confess I had never heard of, until I read this incredibly honest and touching series of memoirs, reflections and concerns with social justice amongst many other considerations gathered in "Quicksand - what it means to be a human being".
"Quicksand is an invaluable parting gift from a great man" who passed away in 2015 almost two years after having been diagnosed with cancer, but what makes it more invaluable is the fact that it makes us ponder on the way we, as humanity, have lived and continue to live ...
From among a number of sentences I copied down as I was reading the book I've decided to impart these.
"Over the years what one looks like in a mirror changes, but behind that mirror image is always the real you."
"Acknowledging one's fear of the unknown is realising what it means to be a person. Throughout our lives we strive to increase our knowledge, our abilities, our experiences. But the bottom line is that all of that will be lost in oblivion."
"Having the possibility to make decisions about what to do with one's life is a great privilege. As far as most people on this planet are concerned, life is simply about survival."
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