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Claire Messud Quotes

Geniuses have the shortest biographies Picture Quote #1

The effort to create a work of art that is true and potentially lasting, that is the very best work of art you can create at that point in your life - a book that may only reach or move a few people but will seem to those people somehow transformative. That’s the ideal; that’s always the motivation Picture Quote #1

That’s so her. You know, torn between Big Ideas and a party. She’s always been that way Picture Quote #1

But we’re lost in a world of appearances now Picture Quote #1

If you’re reading to find friends, you’re in deep trouble Picture Quote #1

Yes, writing is essential to me. It’s my way of living in the world Picture Quote #1

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The more accurately one can illuminate a particular human experience, the better the work of art Picture Quote #1

I’m not a writing group member, not a joiner in that way. I don’t seek a wide swath of feedback Picture Quote #1

I wanted to write a voice that for me, as a reader, had been missing from the chorus: the voice of an angry woman Picture Quote #1

I believe that, in an ideal world, writers would feel free to write what matters to them without having to consider success, failure, the market, etc Picture Quote #1

Was suddenly aware, almost in a panic - a joyful panic - of the wealth of possibility out in the world, and also within myself Picture Quote #1

Maybe that, really, is as good a definition as any of an artist in the world: a ruthless person Picture Quote #1

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It doesn’t ever occur to you, as you fashion your mask so carefully, that it will grow into your skin and graft itself, come to seem irremovable Picture Quote #1

And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come the thought: it’s not like this anymore; the world has changed. Just the way, even at that time fully two years after my mother’s death, I’d catch myself thinking about her as alive; and would suddenly remember, an admonitory finger of grief upon my breast, that she was gone Picture Quote #1

Life’s funny. You have to find a way to keep going, to keep laughing, even after you realize that none of your dreams will come true. When you realize that, there’s still so much of a life to get through Picture Quote #1

Just because something is invisible doesn’t mean it isn’t there. At any given time, there are a host of invisibles floating among us. There are clairvoyants to see ghosts; but who sees the invisible emotions, the unrecorded events? Who is that sees love, more evanescent than any ghost, let alone can catch it? Who are you tell me that I don’t know what love is? Picture Quote #1

We live in a culture that wants to put a redemptive face on everything, so anger doesn’t sit well with any of us. But I think women’s anger sits less well than anything else. Women’s anger is very scary to people, and to no one more than to other women, who think my goodness, if I let the lid off, where would we be? Picture Quote #1

It’s the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of clarity, to be, in the end, so isolate and inadequate. Even when people try to say things, they say them poorly or obliquely, or they outright lie, sometimes because they’re lying to you, but as often because they’re lying to themselves Picture Quote #1

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It took me a long time to realize that she, too, was cautious and bourgeois, frightened of the unknown and so uncertain of herself that she could hardly bear to make a mark Picture Quote #1

My motivation, even in anticipated shame, lay always in others. You can take the woman out of the upstairs, but you can't take the upstairs out of her Picture Quote #1

I want to make a difference. But get a job? I worry that will make the ordinary, like everybody else Picture Quote #1

I've finally come to understand that life itself is the fun house. All you want is that door marked exit, the escape to a place where real life will be; and you can never find it Picture Quote #1

There is, I came to realize, what the mind wants and what the body wants. The mind can excite the body, but its desires can also be false; whereas the body, the animal, wants what it wants Picture Quote #1

Don't ever let anyone tell you that the imaginary is equivalent to the real: your skin, your vast breathing skin, will insist otherwise Picture Quote #1

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I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger of one kind or another - desire, by another name - is the source of almost every sorrow Picture Quote #1

It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of clarity, to be, in the end, so isolate and inadequate Picture Quote #1

So: now a new year, a new beginning. I've vowed not to complain. I'm too good at it, and need to practice other skills. I've also vowed to work very hard Picture Quote #1

I wish it hadn't happened; but what good does this do? I can wish it wouldn't happen again - but here too, if I'm wishing the impossible, it will do no good at all Picture Quote #1

Above all, in my anger, I was sad. Isn't that always the way, that at the heart of the fire is a frozen kernel of sorrow that the fire is trying - valiantly, fruitlessly - to eradicate Picture Quote #1

Death and his zealous minions - dread, despair, disease - can find you anywhere at all, and the armor plate of youth will no longer protect you Picture Quote #1

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Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

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Text Quotes

Geniuses have the shortest biographies (Claire Messud Quotes) The effort to create a work of art that is true and potentially lasting, that is the very best work of art you can create at that point in your life - a book that may only reach or move a few people but will seem to those people somehow transformative. That’s the ideal; that’s always the motivation. (Claire Messud Quotes) That’s so her. You know, torn between Big Ideas and a party. She’s always been that way (Claire Messud Quotes) But we’re lost in a world of appearances now (Claire Messud Quotes) If you’re reading to find friends, you’re in deep trouble (Claire Messud Quotes) Yes, writing is essential to me. It’s my way of living in the world (Claire Messud Quotes) The more accurately one can illuminate a particular human experience, the better the work of art (Claire Messud Quotes) I’m not a writing group member, not a joiner in that way. I don’t seek a wide swath of feedback (Claire Messud Quotes) I wanted to write a voice that for me, as a reader, had been missing from the chorus: the voice of an angry woman (Claire Messud Quotes) I believe that, in an ideal world, writers would feel free to write what matters to them without having to consider success, failure, the market, etc (Claire Messud Quotes) Was suddenly aware, almost in a panic - a joyful panic - of the wealth of possibility out in the world, and also within myself (Claire Messud Quotes) Maybe that, really, is as good a definition as any of an artist in the world: a ruthless person (Claire Messud Quotes) It doesn’t ever occur to you, as you fashion your mask so carefully, that it will grow into your skin and graft itself, come to seem irremovable (Claire Messud Quotes) And then, into the fantasy, as into a dream, would come the thought: it’s not like this anymore; the world has changed. Just the way, even at that time fully two years after my mother’s death, I’d catch myself thinking about her as alive; and would suddenly remember, an admonitory finger of grief upon my breast, that she was gone (Claire Messud Quotes) Life’s funny. You have to find a way to keep going, to keep laughing, even after you realize that none of your dreams will come true. When you realize that, there’s still so much of a life to get through (Claire Messud Quotes) Just because something is invisible doesn’t mean it isn’t there. At any given time, there are a host of invisibles floating among us. There are clairvoyants to see ghosts; but who sees the invisible emotions, the unrecorded events? Who is that sees love, more evanescent than any ghost, let alone can catch it? Who are you tell me that I don’t know what love is? (Claire Messud Quotes) We live in a culture that wants to put a redemptive face on everything, so anger doesn’t sit well with any of us. But I think women’s anger sits less well than anything else. Women’s anger is very scary to people, and to no one more than to other women, who think my goodness, if I let the lid off, where would we be? (Claire Messud Quotes) It’s the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of clarity, to be, in the end, so isolate and inadequate. Even when people try to say things, they say them poorly or obliquely, or they outright lie, sometimes because they’re lying to you, but as often because they’re lying to themselves (Claire Messud Quotes) It took me a long time to realize that she, too, was cautious and bourgeois, frightened of the unknown and so uncertain of herself that she could hardly bear to make a mark (Claire Messud Quotes) My motivation, even in anticipated shame, lay always in others. You can take the woman out of the upstairs, but you can't take the upstairs out of her (Claire Messud Quotes) I want to make a difference. But get a job? I worry that will make the ordinary, like everybody else (Claire Messud Quotes) I've finally come to understand that life itself is the fun house. All you want is that door marked exit, the escape to a place where real life will be; and you can never find it (Claire Messud Quotes) There is, I came to realize, what the mind wants and what the body wants. The mind can excite the body, but its desires can also be false; whereas the body, the animal, wants what it wants (Claire Messud Quotes) Don't ever let anyone tell you that the imaginary is equivalent to the real: your skin, your vast breathing skin, will insist otherwise (Claire Messud Quotes) I've discovered over the years that the simplest explanation is almost always the right one; and that hunger of one kind or another - desire, by another name - is the source of almost every sorrow (Claire Messud Quotes) It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of clarity, to be, in the end, so isolate and inadequate (Claire Messud Quotes) So: now a new year, a new beginning. I've vowed not to complain. I'm too good at it, and need to practice other skills. I've also vowed to work very hard (Claire Messud Quotes) I wish it hadn't happened; but what good does this do? I can wish it wouldn't happen again - but here too, if I'm wishing the impossible, it will do no good at all (Claire Messud Quotes) Above all, in my anger, I was sad. Isn't that always the way, that at the heart of the fire is a frozen kernel of sorrow that the fire is trying - valiantly, fruitlessly - to eradicate (Claire Messud Quotes) Death and his zealous minions - dread, despair, disease - can find you anywhere at all, and the armor plate of youth will no longer protect you (Claire Messud Quotes)

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