Are you happy? asked Mr. Nancy, suddenly. He had been staring at Shadow for several hours. Whenever Shadow glanced over to his right, Mr. Nancy was looking at him with his earth-brown eyes. Not really, said Shadow. But Im not dead yet. Huh? Call no man happy until he is dead. Herodotus. Mr. Nancy raised a white eyebrow, and he said, Im not dead yet, and, mostly because Im not dead yet, Im happy as a clamboy. The Herodotus thing. It doesnt mean that the dead are happy, said Shadow. It means that you cant judge the shape of someones life until its over and done. I dont even judge then, said Mr. Nancy. And as for happiness, theres a lot of different kinds of happiness, just as theres a hell of a lot of different kinds of dead. Me, Ill just take what I can get when I can get it.

About This Quote

About Neil Gaiman, American Gods

Neil Gaiman, American Gods.

Themes

  • Death — Contemplations on mortality, loss, and the legacy we leave
  • Happiness — Thoughts on finding joy, contentment, and fulfilment

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