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Meaning
The quote suggests that sleeplessness can feel like a backlash from the thoughts someone has been avoiding during the day. It presents insomnia as the mind forcing attention onto worries or ideas that were put aside. The idea is that ignoring difficult thoughts does not make them disappear.
When It Was Said
Not documented yet.
Who It Was Said To
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Historical Context
Not documented yet.
Source
The Course of Love: A Novel (2016)
Original Language & Translation
Originally said in English.
Did They Really Say It?
The phrase appears in the book "The Course of Love: A Novel (2016)" by Alain de Botton (Google Books snippet); no earlier source was checked.
Did You Know?
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About Alain de Botton
British author and public speaker
Alain de Botton is a British author and public speaker known for writing about contemporary life and for making philosophy feel useful in everyday settings. His work often turns to common experiences and asks how ideas can help explain them. Among his best-known books are Essays in Love, which sold two million copies, How Proust Can Change Your Life, Status Anxiety, and The Architecture of Happiness.
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Books by Alain de Botton
The Architecture of Happiness
2008
The news
2014
The course of love
2016
Religion for Atheists
2012
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work
2009