73 Jennifer Egan Quotes for You to Enjoy

Jennifer Egan

American Novelist

Born: Sep 7, 1962

Book Me Think Time Writing You

Related authors: Elie Wiesel Ernest Hemingway H. P. Lovecraft James Baldwin John Updike Leo Rosten Nathaniel Hawthorne Richard Bach

I should say, I don't write about myself or my life. So for me, in fiction, it's always been about what I can dream up, that feels far away from me. Jennifer Egan

Life Myself Me My Life Say Dream About Write Feels Always Been Up Fiction Far Far Away Should Away

In a way, I started 'Goon Squad' not even realizing I was writing a book. I thought I was just writing a few stories to stall before starting this other book that I wanted to write - or thought I wanted to write: I still haven't written it. Jennifer Egan

Book Writing Thought Before Few Other Way Write Written Still Squad Just Wanted Stories Stall Realizing Even Started Starting

When I had my first child, I didn't write for a year, and I felt when I tried to start again I might actually not be able to do it anymore. I really could not do it well, and I felt out of sorts with it. Jennifer Egan

First Year Out Tried Able Could Write Had First Child Well Sort Felt Child Anymore Again Might Really Actually Start

I grew up as a step-kid, always a little outside, always trying hard to follow and fit in. But over time, I've come to feel that my tendency toward self-erasure is a deep and real part of me. I think I'd be this way no matter how I grew up. Jennifer Egan

I wasn't a kid who wanted to be a writer. I wanted to be a doctor. I was kind of morbid. I was really into the body and how it could go wrong. I wanted to dig up bodies from the graveyard. Jennifer Egan

Doctor Dig Kid Kind Morbid Could Writer Wrong How Go Up Wanted Really Bodies Body Who Graveyard

My mom used to say that if someone woke her up in the middle of the night and asked how old she was, she'd answer 27. Hearing her, I'd think, 'That's ridiculous; your job as my mom is to be old.' Jennifer Egan

Mom Old Job Think Say Someone She Answer How Woke Hearing Up Middle Asked Your Used Ridiculous Her Night

Between books, I have to throw out everything I did before, because the tools I've used to write the previous book will not only not work for the next project, they will ruin it. Jennifer Egan

Work Book Will Before Tools Ruin Everything Project Books Out Only Previous Throw Write Between Because Did Next Used

If you read novels of the 19th century, they're pretty experimental. They take lots of chances; they seem to break a lot of rules. You've got omniscient narrators lecturing at times to the reader in first person. If you go back to the earliest novels, this is happening to a wild extent, like 'Tristram Shandy' or 'Don Quixote'. Jennifer Egan

You First Wild Omniscient Back Rules Pretty Seem Take Like Read Reader First-Person Got Go Lecturing Lot Lots Times Person Don Quixote Quixote Break Experimental Happening Century Novels Earliest Extent Chances

I guess my comfort zone as a writer is diametrically opposed to my comfort zone as a human being. Jennifer Egan

Human Being Guess Writer Comfort Comfort Zone Opposed Diametrically Human Being Zone

I haven't had trouble with writer's block. I think it's because my process involves writing very badly. My first drafts are filled with lurching, cliched writing, outright flailing around. Writing that doesn't have a good voice or any voice. But then there will be good moments. Jennifer Egan

Good Writing Will Trouble First Think Good Moments Voice Outright Writer Had Badly Involves Cliched Because Around Block Very Flailing Any Process Then Moments Filled Drafts

I did go on safari in Kenya when I was 17, with my mother, stepfather and little brother, and I kept a careful journal of the experience that was very helpful in terms of my sensory impressions of Africa. I have traveled quite a bit at distinct times in my life, though now that I have kids I've settled down. Jennifer Egan

Life Experience Mother My Life Down Settled Distinct Bit Though Kids Brother Stepfather Journal Terms Go Impressions Very Times Did Quite Quite A Bit Africa Little Sensory Little Brother Helpful Traveled Now Kenya Kept Careful

There's something very strange about associating me with that prize. I had hoped for it in a more directed way as a journalist. Somehow as a journalist you know there are Pulitzers out there and you can work hard and get one. To win it for Fiction seems unbelievable. Jennifer Egan

Work Me You Strange Work Hard Win Journalist Way Out Hoped Unbelievable About Somehow Seems Something Directed More Had Know Very Prize Get Fiction Hard

I think, for one thing, all of us remember those teenage years and those songs that we fell in love with and the music scene that we were part of. So, in a certain way, music cuts through time like almost nothing else. You know, it makes us feel like we're back in an earlier moment. Jennifer Egan

Love Music Time You Remember Nothing Think Teenage Else Teenage Years Back Music Scene Way Those One Thing Scene Through Songs Part Almost Feel Almost Nothing Like Know Fell Makes Were Years Cuts Us Certain Certain Way Moment Thing Earlier

I find myself thinking more about the past as I get older... maybe because there's just more of it to think about. At the same time, I'm less haunted by it than I was as a younger person. I guess that's probably the ideal: to reach a point where you have access to all of your memories, but you don't feel victimized by them. Jennifer Egan

Time Myself You Memories Past Older Think Thinking Guess Find About Haunted More Point Feel Ideal Reach Because Access Than Person Get Same Maybe Just Same Time Where Victimized Them Younger Your Less

The sheer sensory experience of San Francisco is unlike anywhere else. Not just the physical beauty, but the textures, the feel, the wind, the ocean. It's a monumental feeling unrivaled by anywhere else. Its a world class, gorgeous city. And the coffee is great. Jennifer Egan

Great Class Experience World Gorgeous Coffee Wind Feeling Beauty Ocean World-Class Else Unlike Francisco Monumental City Physical Feel Sheer Textures Just San San Francisco Anywhere Anywhere Else Sensory

The book that is the closest genetically to 'Goon Squad' is 'Look at Me.' It has the futuristic element - although, freakishly, almost every aspect I invented has come to pass in some way, including the terrorist who fantasies about blowing up the World Trade Centre. That was extremely uncomfortable. The book came out on the week of 9/11. Jennifer Egan

Me Book World Every Way Extremely Out Futuristic Some About Invented Week Uncomfortable Almost Genetically Come Look Although Trade Pass Terrorist Came Squad Up Blowing Closest Centre Fantasies Aspect Who Including Element World Trade

What lists and awards don't measure - and I feel this strongly - is the lasting value of any work of art. They're a snapshot of a moment, and one should always consider their judgments in that context. Jennifer Egan

Work Art Value Lasting Consider Strongly Feel Judgments Always Context Snapshot Any Lists Should Measure Moment Awards

I've never been that confident. I don't tend to think, swaggeringly, 'I'm going to ace this.' It's just not who I am. Jennifer Egan

Think Tend Never Am Been Going Confident Ace Just Who

When I first had a child, I really had a hard time trying to figure out how it was all going to fit together. Because I felt like, when I was with him, I wanted to be writing and I should be writing. And when I was writing, I felt like I should be with him, and wanted to be with him. So I was unhappy a lot. Jennifer Egan

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