Who really said it
Bradbury is documented saying a contracted version in a 1975 newspaper account of his Angelou interview.
Last verified 9 Nov 2026 · how we verify · spot an error?
For presentations
Unconfirmed quote & credit
“We are an impossibility in an impossible universe” — Ray Bradbury, reported in The Oregonian (1975); expanded wording, interview not independently viewed
Can you use it?
Still under copyright (rights held by Ray Bradbury and/or the publisher or estate). A short, credited quote is generally fine for talks, teaching, and internal decks; for commercial, published, or large-scale reuse, get permission.
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In context
Evoking the world of Ray Bradbury — American writer. Theme: "We are an impossibility in an impossible universe". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
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Provenance
We’re an impossibility in an impossible universe.
Read the attribution evidenceHow we verified this
The identified twentieth-century work remains in copyright; only a short excerpt is used for identification and criticism.
Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.
Context
A contemporary newspaper account reports Bradbury’s remark during a television conversation with Maya Angelou. The surviving evidence used here is the newspaper transcription reproduced by Quote Investigator, and the popular version expands its opening contraction.
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QI documents the contemporary newspaper account and explicitly states the recording was not viewed.
Background on the writer whose television remark is reported.
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Biographical background and bibliography for the novelist.
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The author
For writers & researchers
Francis Murphy, Behind the mike, The Oregonian, January 31, 1975 (1975).
Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘We are an impossibility in an impossible universe’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/we-are-an-impossibility-in-an-impossible-universe/