Jonathan Franzen Quotes

Top 100 wise famous quotes and sayings by Jonathan Franzen

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Jonathan Franzen Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Jonathan Franzen on Wise Famous Quotes.

Jonathan Franzen quotes: Nowadays there is really only one habit of highly effective people: Don't fall behind with email. Nowadays there is really only one habit of highly effective people: Don't fall behind with email.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Stupidity mistook itself for intelligence, whereas intelligence knew its own stupidity. Stupidity mistook itself for intelligence, whereas intelligence knew its own stupidity.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It didn't feel so bad to be an orphan. It felt like the first day of a long vacation, a day as empty as the January sky was clear and It didn't feel so bad to be an orphan. It felt like the first day of a long vacation, a day as empty as the January sky was clear and sunny.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: His resentment of his wife, Caroline, was moderate and well contained. His resentment of his wife, Caroline, was moderate and well contained.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It's very liberating for me to realize that I don't have to step up to the plate with a plot that involves the U.N. Security Council. It's very liberating for me to realize that I don't have to step up to the plate with a plot that involves the U.N. Security Council.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I don't personally like the e-readers they've come up with so far. I don't fetishize books, but I do like that they're solid and unchanging. I don't personally like the e-readers they've come up with so far. I don't fetishize books, but I do like that they're solid and unchanging.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Weak people hold grudges, Mom. Strong people forgive. Weak people hold grudges, Mom. Strong people forgive.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: When I'm writing I don't want anyone else in the room - including myself. When I'm writing I don't want anyone else in the room - including myself.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Our joint plan was to be poor and obscure and pure and take the world by surprise at a later date. Our joint plan was to be poor and obscure and pure and take the world by surprise at a later date.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He wanted this someone to see how much he hurt. He wanted this someone to see how much he hurt.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: My first hero was Thomas Edison, whose adult life had consisted entirely of free time. My first hero was Thomas Edison, whose adult life had consisted entirely of free time.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Google and Accurint can make you feel very smart, but the best stories come when you're out in the field. Google and Accurint can make you feel very smart, but the best stories come when you're out in the field.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: An odd thing about beauty, however, is that it's absence tends not to arouse our sympathy as much as other forms of privation do. An odd thing about beauty, however, is that it's absence tends not to arouse our sympathy as much as other forms of privation do.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She noted with pleasure that he'd already dispensed with a salutation, She noted with pleasure that he'd already dispensed with a salutation,
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He'd lost track of what he wanted, and since who a person was what a person wanted, you could say that he'd lost track of himself. He'd lost track of what he wanted, and since who a person was what a person wanted, you could say that he'd lost track of himself.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: His tiredness hurt so much it kept him awake. His tiredness hurt so much it kept him awake.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Her heart was full and her senses were sharp, but her head felt liable to burst in the vacuum of her solitude. Her heart was full and her senses were sharp, but her head felt liable to burst in the vacuum of her solitude.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The personality susceptible to the dream of limitless freedom is a personality also prone, should the dream ever sour, to misanthropy and rage. The personality susceptible to the dream of limitless freedom is a personality also prone, should the dream ever sour, to misanthropy and rage.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She'd been drinking jug wine steadily for four hours. She'd been drinking jug wine steadily for four hours.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: We may freak out globally, but we suffer locally. We may freak out globally, but we suffer locally.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The problem with a life freely chosen every day, a New Testament life, was that it could end at any moment. The problem with a life freely chosen every day, a New Testament life, was that it could end at any moment.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I voluntarily inflicted a certain level of insanity on myself. I voluntarily inflicted a certain level of insanity on myself.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator. The reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Fiction that isn't an author's personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown isn't worth writing for anything but money. Fiction that isn't an author's personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown isn't worth writing for anything but money.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Don't talk to me about hatred if you haven't been married. Don't talk to me about hatred if you haven't been married.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I'm just happy you're home safely. I'm just happy you're home safely.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: What lived on-in me- was the discomfort of how completely I'd outgrown the novel I'd once been so happy to live in What lived on-in me- was the discomfort of how completely I'd outgrown the novel I'd once been so happy to live in
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He had a happy canine way of seeking approval without seeming insecure. He had a happy canine way of seeking approval without seeming insecure.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: But the first lesson reading teaches is how to be alone. But the first lesson reading teaches is how to be alone.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The mark of a legitimate revolution - the scientific, for example - was that it didn't brag about its revolutionariness but simply occurred. The mark of a legitimate revolution - the scientific, for example - was that it didn't brag about its revolutionariness but simply occurred.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Elective ignorance was a great survival skill, perhaps the greatest. Elective ignorance was a great survival skill, perhaps the greatest.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Everyone thinks they have strict limits," she said, "until they cross them. Everyone thinks they have strict limits," she said, "until they cross them.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Without privacy there was no point in being an individual. Without privacy there was no point in being an individual.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: 's one of the perversities of the age: I'm embarrassed by its success, but I'm happy it's selling. 's one of the perversities of the age: I'm embarrassed by its success, but I'm happy it's selling.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Compliments were like a beverage she was unconsciously smart enough to deny herself even one drop of, because her thirst for them was infinite. Compliments were like a beverage she was unconsciously smart enough to deny herself even one drop of, because her thirst for them was infinite.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Integrity's a neutral value. Hyenas have integrity, too. They're pure hyena. Integrity's a neutral value. Hyenas have integrity, too. They're pure hyena.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Success at sports is the province of the almost empty head. Success at sports is the province of the almost empty head.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Once there are good sentences on the page, I can feel a loyalty to them and start following their logic, and take refuge from myself. Once there are good sentences on the page, I can feel a loyalty to them and start following their logic, and take refuge from myself.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: You seem a little challenged in the entitlement department. I mean, compared to the others. You seem a little challenged in the entitlement department. I mean, compared to the others.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Deploring other peopletheir lack of perfectionhad always been our sport. Deploring other people
their lack of perfection
had always been our sport.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Just as the camera draws a stake through the heart of serious portraiture, television has killed the novel of social reportage. Just as the camera draws a stake through the heart of serious portraiture, television has killed the novel of social reportage.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Popularity has become its own justification. Popularity has become its own justification.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It was a way of recognizing places of enchantment: people falling asleep like this. It was a way of recognizing places of enchantment: people falling asleep like this.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Her house was the heavy (but not indefinitely heavy) and sturdy (but not everlasting) God that she'd loved and served and been sustained by. Her house was the heavy (but not indefinitely heavy) and sturdy (but not everlasting) God that she'd loved and served and been sustained by.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The world was ending then, it's ending still, and I'm happy to belong to it again. The world was ending then, it's ending still, and I'm happy to belong to it again.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Only in a crowded, diverse place like New York, surrounded by strangeness, do I come home to myself. Only in a crowded, diverse place like New York, surrounded by strangeness, do I come home to myself.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Edith Wharton did have one potentially redeeming disadvantage: she wasn't pretty. Edith Wharton did have one potentially redeeming disadvantage: she wasn't pretty.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: An ink bottle, which now seems impossibly quaint, was still thinkable as a symbol in 1970. An ink bottle, which now seems impossibly quaint, was still thinkable as a symbol in 1970.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The real pleasure in writing this, for me, was discovering how little you need. The real pleasure in writing this, for me, was discovering how little you need.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Robin turned and looked straight into her. "What's life for?""I don't know.""I don't either. But I don't think it's about winning. Robin turned and looked straight into her. "What's life for?"
"I don't know."
"I don't either. But I don't think it's about winning.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The only guaranteed result of having an affair would be to add yet another disapproving woman to his life. The only guaranteed result of having an affair would be to add yet another disapproving woman to his life.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Everything he did was at least partial and often total bullshit (402). Everything he did was at least partial and often total bullshit (402).
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The writer's life is a life of revisions. The writer's life is a life of revisions.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He operated by Old World rules, the blurring of right and wrong into whatever you could get away with; He operated by Old World rules, the blurring of right and wrong into whatever you could get away with;
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She was like a bank too big in her mother's economy to fail, She was like a bank too big in her mother's economy to fail,
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It took hours to turn the clock back 30 seconds. It took hours to turn the clock back 30 seconds.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: And maybe this was what craziness was: an emergency valve to relieve the pressure of unbearable anxiety. And maybe this was what craziness was: an emergency valve to relieve the pressure of unbearable anxiety.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: And this of course, was the simplest definition of depression that he knew of: strongly disliking yourself. And this of course, was the simplest definition of depression that he knew of: strongly disliking yourself.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Fiction is a particularly effective way for strangers to connect across time and distance Fiction is a particularly effective way for strangers to connect across time and distance
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He had shining dark eyes and an oboe voice and mink-soft hair and could seem, even to Gary, more sentient animal than little boy. He had shining dark eyes and an oboe voice and mink-soft hair and could seem, even to Gary, more sentient animal than little boy.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Twitter is unspeakably irritating. Twitter stands for everything I oppose, Twitter is unspeakably irritating. Twitter stands for everything I oppose,
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Now Connie seemed to be suggesting that what made people complain about stupidity was their own stupidity. Now Connie seemed to be suggesting that what made people complain about stupidity was their own stupidity.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: [H]er mind was like a balloon with static cling, attracting random ideas as they floated by[.] [H]er mind was like a balloon with static cling, attracting random ideas as they floated by[.]
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The American middle-class appetite for illegal drugs provided the capital to build some of the most sophisticated and effective companies on earth. The American middle-class appetite for illegal drugs provided the capital to build some of the most sophisticated and effective companies on earth.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Cooks were the mitochondria of humanity; they had their own separate DNA, they floated in a cell and powered it but were not really of it. Cooks were the mitochondria of humanity; they had their own separate DNA, they floated in a cell and powered it but were not really of it.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She quickly discovered that the world is divided into people who know how to be comfortable by themselves on a bar chair and people who do not. She quickly discovered that the world is divided into people who know how to be comfortable by themselves on a bar chair and people who do not.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: In the New Testament, the only things that mattered were love and free will. In the New Testament, the only things that mattered were love and free will.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Sometimes I think my life is nothing but one long process of bodily betrayal. Sometimes I think my life is nothing but one long process of bodily betrayal.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I may be dead tomorrow, I said to myself, but I may be dead tomorrow, I said to myself, but
Jonathan Franzen quotes: If you want to have friends, you have to remember that nobody's perfect. If you want to have friends, you have to remember that nobody's perfect.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Nice people don't necessarily fall in love with nice people. Nice people don't necessarily fall in love with nice people.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I was about 13, in some ways, when I wrote the first book. Approximately 18 when I wrote the second. I was about 13, in some ways, when I wrote the first book. Approximately 18 when I wrote the second.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: My chances with moral vanity," Stephen interrupted, "when the alternative is My chances with moral vanity," Stephen interrupted, "when the alternative is
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It's like having one red sock in a load of white laundry. One red sock, and nothing is ever white again. It's like having one red sock in a load of white laundry. One red sock, and nothing is ever white again.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She was so much a personality and so little anything else that even staring straight at her he had no idea what she really looked like. She was so much a personality and so little anything else that even staring straight at her he had no idea what she really looked like.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I feel that working environmentalists are, in the main, happier than armchair environmentalists. I feel that working environmentalists are, in the main, happier than armchair environmentalists.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: And Pip wanted to do good, if only for lack of better ambitions. And Pip wanted to do good, if only for lack of better ambitions.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She had a lifetime of practice at arriving late in a family of four and being loved by all. She had a lifetime of practice at arriving late in a family of four and being loved by all.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Secrets are the way you know you even have an inside. Secrets are the way you know you even have an inside.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: I wanted all of her and resented other boys for wanting any part of her. I wanted all of her and resented other boys for wanting any part of her.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It seems to me self-evident that if you have a life, things happen in it, and certain things do change; certain things end. People you know die. It seems to me self-evident that if you have a life, things happen in it, and certain things do change; certain things end. People you know die.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: To me, the point of a novel is to take you to a still place. You can multitask with a lot of things, but you can't really multitask reading a To me, the point of a novel is to take you to a still place. You can multitask with a lot of things, but you can't really multitask reading a book.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Alfred believed that the real and the true were a minority that the world was bent on exterminating. Alfred believed that the real and the true were a minority that the world was bent on exterminating.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: This evening I begin a notebook. If anyone reads this, I trust they will forgive my overuse of "I". I can't stop it. I'm writing this. This evening I begin a notebook. If anyone reads this, I trust they will forgive my overuse of "I". I can't stop it. I'm writing this.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The world was overpopulated with talkers and underpopulated by listeners, The world was overpopulated with talkers and underpopulated by listeners,
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Her body looked to be only a healthy diet and some regular exercise away from greatness, Her body looked to be only a healthy diet and some regular exercise away from greatness,
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Around her ribs and waist were curves of the kind that wind carves in snowdrifts. Around her ribs and waist were curves of the kind that wind carves in snowdrifts.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He wasn't constituted to hate himself subjectively, but he did hate the object he was in the world. He wasn't constituted to hate himself subjectively, but he did hate the object he was in the world.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: [Patty's] Copernican wish to the be sun around which all things revolved [Patty's] Copernican wish to the be sun around which all things revolved
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The Mekons were kind of like the background music of my life. The Mekons were kind of like the background music of my life.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: You can think of me thinking of you, because that's what I'll be doing whenever you think of me. You can think of me thinking of you, because that's what I'll be doing whenever you think of me.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: The odd truth about Alfred was that love, for him, was a matter not of approaching but of keeping away. The odd truth about Alfred was that love, for him, was a matter not of approaching but of keeping away.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: He knows how love blinds people to the truth about the one they are in love with. He knows how love blinds people to the truth about the one they are in love with.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Patty believed that parents have a duty to teach their children how to recognize reality when they see it. Patty believed that parents have a duty to teach their children how to recognize reality when they see it.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Power, power, power: how could the world be organized around the struggle for a thing so lonely and oppressive in the having of it? Power, power, power: how could the world be organized around the struggle for a thing so lonely and oppressive in the having of it?
Jonathan Franzen quotes: She felt as if, while working and sleeping and working and sleeping, she'd aged so rapidly that she'd passed Emile and caught up with her parents. She felt as if, while working and sleeping and working and sleeping, she'd aged so rapidly that she'd passed Emile and caught up with her parents.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: You may be poor, but the one thing nobody can take away from you is the freedom to fuck up your life whatever way you want to. You may be poor, but the one thing nobody can take away from you is the freedom to fuck up your life whatever way you want to.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Whatever else happened, she wanted a dog in her life. Whatever else happened, she wanted a dog in her life.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: It was as if the bones and veins were working their way to the surface; as if the skin were water receding to expose shapes at the bottom of a It was as if the bones and veins were working their way to the surface; as if the skin were water receding to expose shapes at the bottom of a harbor.
Jonathan Franzen quotes: Once upon a time, it had sufficed to write 'The Sound and the Fury' or 'The Sun Also Rises.' But now bigness was essential. Thickness, length. Once upon a time, it had sufficed to write 'The Sound and the Fury' or 'The Sun Also Rises.' But now bigness was essential. Thickness, length.

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