Mary Karr Quotes

Top 97 wise famous quotes and sayings by Mary Karr

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Mary Karr Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Mary Karr on Wise Famous Quotes.

Mary Karr quotes: There are all kinds of things God wants me to do that I'm very obstreperous about. There are all kinds of things God wants me to do that I'm very obstreperous about.
Mary Karr quotes: I'm always astonished by the confidence my readers put in me. I'm always astonished by the confidence my readers put in me.
Mary Karr quotes: The audiobooks I buy are never first-time reads - only rereadings of books I know well that I find intoxicating. The audiobooks I buy are never first-time reads - only rereadings of books I know well that I find intoxicating.
Mary Karr quotes: I'm not nearly smart enough or imaginative enough to tackle the novel form. Never happen. I'm not nearly smart enough or imaginative enough to tackle the novel form. Never happen.
Mary Karr quotes: Writing the real self seldom seems original enough when you first happen on it. Writing the real self seldom seems original enough when you first happen on it.
Mary Karr quotes: You are loved, someone said. Take that and eat it. You are loved, someone said. Take that and eat it.
Mary Karr quotes: It's completely through prayer that I came to believe in God. I just sensed a presence south of my neck. It's completely through prayer that I came to believe in God. I just sensed a presence south of my neck.
Mary Karr quotes: Nothing matters but the quality of the affection - in the end - that has carved the trace in the mind dove Nothing matters but the quality of the affection - in the end - that has carved the trace in the mind dove
Mary Karr quotes: How much smaller the large places are once we're grown up, when we have car keys and credit cards. How much smaller the large places are once we're grown up, when we have car keys and credit cards.
Mary Karr quotes: On a piece of prose, you have to work at least six hours a day. I don't know how you can do that and teach and raise a kid and On a piece of prose, you have to work at least six hours a day. I don't know how you can do that and teach and raise a kid and paint the house.
Mary Karr quotes: At some point the talk got heated, and Paolo called Mother a strumpet, for which Daddy was said to have stomped a serious mudhole in Paolo's ass. At some point the talk got heated, and Paolo called Mother a strumpet, for which Daddy was said to have stomped a serious mudhole in Paolo's ass.
Mary Karr quotes: No writer can impose his own standards onto any other, nor claim to speak for the whole genre. No writer can impose his own standards onto any other, nor claim to speak for the whole genre.
Mary Karr quotes: Born on third base, my daddy always said of the well off, and they think they hit a home run. Born on third base, my daddy always said of the well off, and they think they hit a home run.
Mary Karr quotes: Be willing to be a child and be the Lilliputian in the world of Gulliver. Be willing to be a child and be the Lilliputian in the world of Gulliver.
Mary Karr quotes: The failures of other genres to provide an emotional connection with some of their characters and narratives gives memoir a toehold. The failures of other genres to provide an emotional connection with some of their characters and narratives gives memoir a toehold.
Mary Karr quotes: I've never contended that I had a really horrible life. I've never contended that I had a really horrible life.
Mary Karr quotes: I always say that a poet loves the world, and the prose writer needs to create an alternative world. I always say that a poet loves the world, and the prose writer needs to create an alternative world.
Mary Karr quotes: I was 40 years old before I became an overnight success, and I'd been publishing for 20 years. I was 40 years old before I became an overnight success, and I'd been publishing for 20 years.
Mary Karr quotes: The thing I have to do as a writer, and that God permits me to do, is that I have to be willing to fail. The thing I have to do as a writer, and that God permits me to do, is that I have to be willing to fail.
Mary Karr quotes: Memoir is not an act of history but an act of memory, which is innately corrupt. Memoir is not an act of history but an act of memory, which is innately corrupt.
Mary Karr quotes: The shreiking fight or the out-of-character insult endures forever, while the daily sweetness dissolves like sugar in water. The shreiking fight or the out-of-character insult endures forever, while the daily sweetness dissolves like sugar in water.
Mary Karr quotes: I don't think I look like the pope's favorite Catholic - at least not under close scrutiny. I don't think I look like the pope's favorite Catholic - at least not under close scrutiny.
Mary Karr quotes: Her parents roared around in the masks of monsters. Not Her parents roared around in the masks of monsters. Not
Mary Karr quotes: If your goal is to polish up a fake person you can sell to a public you perceive as dumb, the unexamined life will do perfectly well, thank you. If your goal is to polish up a fake person you can sell to a public you perceive as dumb, the unexamined life will do perfectly well, thank you.
Mary Karr quotes: Sentimentality is only emotion you haven't proven to the reader - emotion without vivid evidence. Sentimentality is only emotion you haven't proven to the reader - emotion without vivid evidence.
Mary Karr quotes: The memoirist's job is not to add explosive whammies on every page, but to help the average person come in. The memoirist's job is not to add explosive whammies on every page, but to help the average person come in.
Mary Karr quotes: Sure the world breeds monsters, but kindness grows just as wild ... Sure the world breeds monsters, but kindness grows just as wild ...
Mary Karr quotes: Any time you try to collapse the distance between your delusions about the past and what really happened, there is suffering involved."p. xx Any time you try to collapse the distance between your delusions about the past and what really happened, there is suffering involved."
p. xx
Mary Karr quotes: I don't have a copy of my books, and the degree to which I never read them is profound. I never look. I don't have a copy of my books, and the degree to which I never read them is profound. I never look.
Mary Karr quotes: Poetry privileges music and is aesthetically more challenging. Prose privileges information and is emotionally more challenging. Poetry privileges music and is aesthetically more challenging. Prose privileges information and is emotionally more challenging.
Mary Karr quotes: Metaphorically speaking, I always make room for any evidence of scurvy in my characters, any mitigating ailments. Metaphorically speaking, I always make room for any evidence of scurvy in my characters, any mitigating ailments.
Mary Karr quotes: His silence hadn't been helplessness - it hadn't even been love. It had been pity. His silence hadn't been helplessness - it hadn't even been love. It had been pity.
Mary Karr quotes: When you do try to picture the boys who do ask you out, they're absolutely featureless, like old carvings eroded by centuries of rain and wind. When you do try to picture the boys who do ask you out, they're absolutely featureless, like old carvings eroded by centuries of rain and wind.
Mary Karr quotes: Life is a field of corn. Literature is the shot glass it distills down into. Lorrie Moore Life is a field of corn. Literature is the shot glass it distills down into. Lorrie Moore
Mary Karr quotes: Slurping these spirits is soul preparation, a warped communion, myself serving as god, priest, and congregation. Slurping these spirits is soul preparation, a warped communion, myself serving as god, priest, and congregation.
Mary Karr quotes: In my godless household, poems were the closest we came to sacred speech the only prayers said. In my godless household, poems were the closest we came to sacred speech
the only prayers said.
Mary Karr quotes: I think the problem with visual media like TV is that they're reductive. I think the problem with visual media like TV is that they're reductive.
Mary Karr quotes: Comfort makes fools of us that way, and a kid gets faith back quick. Comfort makes fools of us that way, and a kid gets faith back quick.
Mary Karr quotes: He never gave up on me, I only stopped being matriculated. He never gave up on me, I only stopped being matriculated.
Mary Karr quotes: A pool game mixes ritual with geometry. A pool game mixes ritual with geometry.
Mary Karr quotes: Nobody sounds good writing about your divorce, let's face it. Nobody sounds good writing about your divorce, let's face it.
Mary Karr quotes: The changes are coming fast and blind now, and in your skull sits an hourglass with a grain size hole through which numb seconds are sliding. The changes are coming fast and blind now, and in your skull sits an hourglass with a grain size hole through which numb seconds are sliding.
Mary Karr quotes: Memoir done right is an art, a made thing. It's not just raw reportage flung splat on the page. Memoir done right is an art, a made thing. It's not just raw reportage flung splat on the page.
Mary Karr quotes: I tell people not to write too soon about their lives. Writing about yourself too young is loaded with psychological complexities. I tell people not to write too soon about their lives. Writing about yourself too young is loaded with psychological complexities.
Mary Karr quotes: What would you write if you weren't afraid? What would you write if you weren't afraid?
Mary Karr quotes: Every poem probably has sixty drafts behind it. Every poem probably has sixty drafts behind it.
Mary Karr quotes: We're not made to wallow in pleasure. Pleasure is joy's assassin. We're not made to wallow in pleasure. Pleasure is joy's assassin.
Mary Karr quotes: Ten years, she's dead, and I still find myself some mornings reaching for the phone to call her. She could no more be gone than gravity or the moon. Ten years, she's dead, and I still find myself some mornings reaching for the phone to call her. She could no more be gone than gravity or the moon.
Mary Karr quotes: I'm always terrified when I'm writing. I'm always terrified when I'm writing.
Mary Karr quotes: I find a great deal of comfort and care in my faith and prayer. I'd sooner do without air than prayer. I find a great deal of comfort and care in my faith and prayer. I'd sooner do without air than prayer.
Mary Karr quotes: Standing in the shower, I feel something on the back of my leg that turns out to be my ass. Standing in the shower, I feel something on the back of my leg that turns out to be my ass.
Mary Karr quotes: As novelist Harry Crews once wrote, I'm the kind of person who - if he can't have too much of something - doesn't want any of it. In As novelist Harry Crews once wrote, I'm the kind of person who - if he can't have too much of something - doesn't want any of it. In
Mary Karr quotes: He was so proud that she had more going on north of her neck than her hairdo. He was so proud that she had more going on north of her neck than her hairdo.
Mary Karr quotes: (Later, I'l learn that's the structure of an elegy: lament, consolation; bad news, followed by good news.) (Later, I'l learn that's the structure of an elegy: lament, consolation; bad news, followed by good news.)
Mary Karr quotes: Was behind in every conceivable way. So the old attack dog started howling through my head as I'd Was behind in every conceivable way. So the old attack dog started howling through my head as I'd
Mary Karr quotes: I get so lonely sometimes, I could put a box on my head and mail myself to a stranger. I get so lonely sometimes, I could put a box on my head and mail myself to a stranger.
Mary Karr quotes: I do have a really good memory. I mean, like, I can remember all the phone numbers of everybody on the street I grew up on. I do have a really good memory. I mean, like, I can remember all the phone numbers of everybody on the street I grew up on.
Mary Karr quotes: The first day of school, we walked till we reached a stretch of black graffiti on the sidewalk. Somebody named Ken blew dead bears, it said. The first day of school, we walked till we reached a stretch of black graffiti on the sidewalk. Somebody named Ken blew dead bears, it said.
Mary Karr quotes: Prose cannot compete with the economy of poetry, the ability to have a full artistic experience in a short period of time. Prose cannot compete with the economy of poetry, the ability to have a full artistic experience in a short period of time.
Mary Karr quotes: Truth works a trip wire that permits the book to explode into being. Truth works a trip wire that permits the book to explode into being.
Mary Karr quotes: What hurts so bad about youth isn't the actual butt whippings the world delivers. It's the stupid hopes playacting like certainties. What hurts so bad about youth isn't the actual butt whippings the world delivers. It's the stupid hopes playacting like certainties.
Mary Karr quotes: I think we fall in love and become adults and become citizens in a way by writing stories about ourselves. I think we fall in love and become adults and become citizens in a way by writing stories about ourselves.
Mary Karr quotes: I get about five memoirs per week in my mailbox, and few of them inspire anything but a desire to pick up the channel changer. I get about five memoirs per week in my mailbox, and few of them inspire anything but a desire to pick up the channel changer.
Mary Karr quotes: Success has affected my self-definition in that I have more money. Writers pooh-pooh that idea, but it's a huge deal. Success has affected my self-definition in that I have more money. Writers pooh-pooh that idea, but it's a huge deal.
Mary Karr quotes: Having a great dad probably permitted me to pal around with guys in a way that some women don't. Having a great dad probably permitted me to pal around with guys in a way that some women don't.
Mary Karr quotes: Most of the people I write about I'm still in touch with, so I would be loath to make up stuff about them. Most of the people I write about I'm still in touch with, so I would be loath to make up stuff about them.
Mary Karr quotes: If you let yourself tell those smaller anecdotes or stories, the overarching capital-S Story will eventually rise into view. If you let yourself tell those smaller anecdotes or stories, the overarching capital-S Story will eventually rise into view.
Mary Karr quotes: Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards. Even the best of us are at least part-time bastards.
Mary Karr quotes: Daddy said a Republican was somebody who couldn't enjoy eating unless he knew somebody else was hungry, Daddy said a Republican was somebody who couldn't enjoy eating unless he knew somebody else was hungry,
Mary Karr quotes: The head can travel a far piece while the body sits in one spot. It can traverse many decades, and many conversations can be had, even with the dead. The head can travel a far piece while the body sits in one spot. It can traverse many decades, and many conversations can be had, even with the dead.
Mary Karr quotes: But it's a neurological fact that the scared self holds on while the reasoned one lets go. But it's a neurological fact that the scared self holds on while the reasoned one lets go.
Mary Karr quotes: It's hard to be an articulate ghost. It's hard to be an articulate ghost.
Mary Karr quotes: I lock all my scaredness down in my stomach until the fear hardens into something I hardly notice. I myself harden into a person that I hardly notice. I lock all my scaredness down in my stomach until the fear hardens into something I hardly notice. I myself harden into a person that I hardly notice.
Mary Karr quotes: Every writer needs two selves - the generative self and the editor self. Every writer needs two selves - the generative self and the editor self.
Mary Karr quotes: Having devoted the first half of my life to the dark, I feel obliged to rever any pinpoint of light now. Having devoted the first half of my life to the dark, I feel obliged to rever any pinpoint of light now.
Mary Karr quotes: I've said it's hard. Here's how hard: everybody I know who wades deep enough into memory's waters drowns a little. I've said it's hard. Here's how hard: everybody I know who wades deep enough into memory's waters drowns a little.
Mary Karr quotes: Whether you're a memoirist or not, there's a psychic cost for lopping yourself off from the past: Whether you're a memoirist or not, there's a psychic cost for lopping yourself off from the past:
Mary Karr quotes: A university is a city of ideas, and we're grateful you became citizens of our city. A university is a city of ideas, and we're grateful you became citizens of our city.
Mary Karr quotes: To my mind, a small bit of catshit equals a catshit sandwich, unless I know where the catshit is and can eat around it. To my mind, a small bit of catshit equals a catshit sandwich, unless I know where the catshit is and can eat around it.
Mary Karr quotes: A hawk reeled overhead with a rodent squirming in its beak, close enough so you could see the bird's black shiny eyes. A hawk reeled overhead with a rodent squirming in its beak, close enough so you could see the bird's black shiny eyes.
Mary Karr quotes: A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it. A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.
Mary Karr quotes: Most morally ominous: from the second you choose one event over another, you're shaping the past's meaning. Most morally ominous: from the second you choose one event over another, you're shaping the past's meaning.
Mary Karr quotes: Our strange cynicism about truth as a possibility has permitted us to accept all manner of bullshit Our strange cynicism about truth as a possibility has permitted us to accept all manner of bullshit
Mary Karr quotes: Dumb hope is what it hurts most to write, occupying the foolish schemes we pursued for decades, the blind alleys, the cliffs we stepped off. Dumb hope is what it hurts most to write, occupying the foolish schemes we pursued for decades, the blind alleys, the cliffs we stepped off.
Mary Karr quotes: For me, everything's too much and nothing's enough. For me, everything's too much and nothing's enough.
Mary Karr quotes: Age about 30, I stopped looking up my books in bookstores. Paying attention to the marketplace isn't a healthy thing for me. Age about 30, I stopped looking up my books in bookstores. Paying attention to the marketplace isn't a healthy thing for me.
Mary Karr quotes: One can't mount a stripper pole wearing a metal diving suit. One can't mount a stripper pole wearing a metal diving suit.
Mary Karr quotes: I'm doomed to act like myself, even when it's inconvenient! I'm doomed to act like myself, even when it's inconvenient!
Mary Karr quotes: The editor self thinks only of saving the reader time and shaping a powerful emotional experience. The editor self thinks only of saving the reader time and shaping a powerful emotional experience.
Mary Karr quotes: The trick in that town was getting through a night at all without stalling in the sludge of your own thoughts. The trick in that town was getting through a night at all without stalling in the sludge of your own thoughts.
Mary Karr quotes: There are women succeeding beyond their wildest dreams because of their sobriety. There are women succeeding beyond their wildest dreams because of their sobriety.
Mary Karr quotes: They feed us the way the bread of communion does, with a nourishment that seems to form new flesh. According They feed us the way the bread of communion does, with a nourishment that seems to form new flesh. According
Mary Karr quotes: The emotional stakes a memoirist bets with could not be higher, and it's physically enervating. I nap on a daily basis like a cross-country trucker. The emotional stakes a memoirist bets with could not be higher, and it's physically enervating. I nap on a daily basis like a cross-country trucker.
Mary Karr quotes: (Who but a drunk, I wonder looking back, could sit on the porch alone and get in an argument?) (Who but a drunk, I wonder looking back, could sit on the porch alone and get in an argument?)
Mary Karr quotes: The American religion-so far as there is one anymore-seems to be doubt. Whoever believes the least wins, because he'll never be found wrong. The American religion-so far as there is one anymore-seems to be doubt. Whoever believes the least wins, because he'll never be found wrong.
Mary Karr quotes: In those days, I still enjoyed a child's desperate tendency to put sparkles on my whole tribe. In those days, I still enjoyed a child's desperate tendency to put sparkles on my whole tribe.
Mary Karr quotes: As a memoirist, I strive for veracity. As a memoirist, I strive for veracity.

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