Philip Roth Quotes

Top 100 wise famous quotes and sayings by Philip Roth

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Philip Roth Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Philip Roth on Wise Famous Quotes.

Philip Roth quotes: Sheer Playfulness and Deadly Seriousness are my closest friends. Sheer Playfulness and Deadly Seriousness are my closest friends.
Philip Roth quotes: The ordeal is part of the commitmentEsquire Interview 10/10 The ordeal is part of the commitment
Esquire Interview 10/10
Philip Roth quotes: It is not our high purposes alone that make us moving creatures, but our humble needs and cravings. It is not our high purposes alone that make us moving creatures, but our humble needs and cravings.
Philip Roth quotes: A man who's discontents were barely known to himself, awakening in middle age to the horror of self-reflection. A man who's discontents were barely known to himself, awakening in middle age to the horror of self-reflection.
Philip Roth quotes: Memoirs lie, but fiction tells the truth. Memoirs lie, but fiction tells the truth.
Philip Roth quotes: You've got a good girl this time. Don't screw it up. Don't let her go. You've got a good girl this time. Don't screw it up. Don't let her go.
Philip Roth quotes: The end is so immense, it is its own poetry. It requires little rhetoric. Just state it plainly. The end is so immense, it is its own poetry. It requires little rhetoric. Just state it plainly.
Philip Roth quotes: I was a biography in constant motion, memory to the marrow of my bones. I was a biography in constant motion, memory to the marrow of my bones.
Philip Roth quotes: Old Blotnik had been mumbling so steadily for so many years, Ozzie suspected he had memorized the prayers and forgotten all about God. It Old Blotnik had been mumbling so steadily for so many years, Ozzie suspected he had memorized the prayers and forgotten all about God. It
Philip Roth quotes: There is no protest to be lodged against loneliness - not all the bombing campaigns in history have made a dent in it. There is no protest to be lodged against loneliness - not all the bombing campaigns in history have made a dent in it.
Philip Roth quotes: Many farcical, illogical, incomprehensible transactions are subsumed by the mania of lust. Many farcical, illogical, incomprehensible transactions are subsumed by the mania of lust.
Philip Roth quotes: Self-laceration is never more than a memory away Self-laceration is never more than a memory away
Philip Roth quotes: Gone were the days when Zuckerman had only to worry about Zuckerman making money: henceforth he would have to worry about his money making money. Gone were the days when Zuckerman had only to worry about Zuckerman making money: henceforth he would have to worry about his money making money.
Philip Roth quotes: nor had I understood til then how the shameless vanity of utter fools can so strongly determine the fate of others
nor had I understood til then how the shameless vanity of utter fools can so strongly determine the fate of others
Philip Roth quotes: When he is sick, every man wants his mother. When he is sick, every man wants his mother.
Philip Roth quotes: Is an intelligent human being likely to be much more than a large-scale manufacturer of misunderstanding? Is an intelligent human being likely to be much more than a large-scale manufacturer of misunderstanding?
Philip Roth quotes: You put too much stock in human intelligence, it doesn't annihilate human nature. You put too much stock in human intelligence, it doesn't annihilate human nature.
Philip Roth quotes: In America everything goes and nothing matters, while in Europe nothing goes and everything matters. In America everything goes and nothing matters, while in Europe nothing goes and everything matters.
Philip Roth quotes: The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress. The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress.
Philip Roth quotes: So. Now you know the worst thing I have ever done. I fucked my own family's dinner. So. Now you know the worst thing I have ever done. I fucked my own family's dinner.
Philip Roth quotes: Everyone becomes a part of history whether they like it or not and whether they know it or not. Everyone becomes a part of history whether they like it or not and whether they know it or not.
Philip Roth quotes: What use to skip those two grades in grammar school and get such a jump on everybody else,when the result is to wind up so far behind? What use to skip those two grades in grammar school and get such a jump on everybody else,
when the result is to wind up so far behind?
Philip Roth quotes: You don't have to work in a mental hospital to know about husbands and wives. You don't have to work in a mental hospital to know about husbands and wives.
Philip Roth quotes: I kept waiting for him to lay bare something more than this pointed unobjectionableness, but all that rose to the surface was more surface I kept waiting for him to lay bare something more than this pointed unobjectionableness, but all that rose to the surface was more surface
Philip Roth quotes: The question to ask about the writer isn't 'Why does he behave so badly?' but 'What does he gain by wearing this mask? The question to ask about the writer isn't 'Why does he behave so badly?' but 'What does he gain by wearing this mask?
Philip Roth quotes: A Jewish man with parents alive is a fifteen-year-old boy, and will remain a fifteen-year-old boy until they die! A Jewish man with parents alive is a fifteen-year-old boy, and will remain a fifteen-year-old boy until they die!
Philip Roth quotes: She thinks, I'm telling him who I am. He's interested in who I am. That is true, but I am curious about who she is because I want to fuck She thinks, I'm telling him who I am. He's interested in who I am. That is true, but I am curious about who she is because I want to fuck her.
Philip Roth quotes: What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened. What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened.
Philip Roth quotes: When you publish a book, it's the world's book. The world edits it. When you publish a book, it's the world's book. The world edits it.
Philip Roth quotes: Great artists, as history reveals, have been harshly persecuted time and again by the frightened and ill-educated, Great artists, as history reveals, have been harshly persecuted time and again by the frightened and ill-educated,
Philip Roth quotes: It's no picnic up there in the egosphere. It's no picnic up there in the egosphere.
Philip Roth quotes: LaHill was a dark, burly fellow whose hair curled out of his clothes wherever it could. LaHill was a dark, burly fellow whose hair curled out of his clothes wherever it could.
Philip Roth quotes: Don't judge it. Just write it. Don't judge it. It's not for you to judge it.Interview in Esquire Magazine 10/10 Don't judge it. Just write it. Don't judge it. It's not for you to judge it.
Interview in Esquire Magazine 10/10
Philip Roth quotes: You cannot observe people through an ideology. Your ideology observes for you. You cannot observe people through an ideology. Your ideology observes for you.
Philip Roth quotes: You're our Marcel Proust, Mr. Zuckerman.Zuckerman laughed. It wasn't exactly how he saw it. You're our Marcel Proust, Mr. Zuckerman.
Zuckerman laughed. It wasn't exactly how he saw it.
Philip Roth quotes: He was trying hard to continue to exist as himself despite the unlikeliness of everything. He was trying hard to continue to exist as himself despite the unlikeliness of everything.
Philip Roth quotes: Nothing is more uplifting in all of life than righteous anger. Nothing is more uplifting in all of life than righteous anger.
Philip Roth quotes: Other people's weakness can destroy you just as much as their strength can. Weak people are not harmless. Their weakness can be their strength. Other people's weakness can destroy you just as much as their strength can. Weak people are not harmless. Their weakness can be their strength.
Philip Roth quotes: I'm the only one who gives her a whole can of tuna for lunch, and I'm not talking dreck, either. I'm talking Chicken of the Sea, Alex. I'm the only one who gives her a whole can of tuna for lunch, and I'm not talking dreck, either. I'm talking Chicken of the Sea, Alex.
Philip Roth quotes: You can't write good satirical fiction in America because reality will quickly outdo anything you might invent. You can't write good satirical fiction in America because reality will quickly outdo anything you might invent.
Philip Roth quotes: Each book starts from ashes. Each book starts from ashes.
Philip Roth quotes: There had to be forces outside. The prayer went, "Lead me not in temptation." If people were not led by others, why was the famous prayer that it was? There had to be forces outside. The prayer went, "Lead me not in temptation." If people were not led by others, why was the famous prayer that it was?
Philip Roth quotes: There was a mattress, discolored and waterlogged, like a cartoon-strip drunk slumped against a pole. There was a mattress, discolored and waterlogged, like a cartoon-strip drunk slumped against a pole.
Philip Roth quotes: In my childhood I led the life of a sage, when I grew up I started climbing trees In my childhood I led the life of a sage, when I grew up I started climbing trees
Philip Roth quotes: Maybe the best thing would be to forget being right or wrong about people and just go along for the ride. Maybe the best thing would be to forget being right or wrong about people and just go along for the ride.
Philip Roth quotes: Religion is the opiate of the people! Religion is the opiate of the people!
Philip Roth quotes: The danger with hatred is, once you start in on it, you get a hundred times more than you bargained for. Once you start, you can't stop. The danger with hatred is, once you start in on it, you get a hundred times more than you bargained for. Once you start, you can't stop.
Philip Roth quotes: my imagination I am unfaithful to everybody, by the way, not just to you. my imagination I am unfaithful to everybody, by the way, not just to you.
Philip Roth quotes: Even when she was dressed up she didn't look like a chosen person. Even when she was dressed up she didn't look like a chosen person.
Philip Roth quotes: What I wanted was the tiniest thing in the world: to be like everyone else. What I wanted was the tiniest thing in the world: to be like everyone else.
Philip Roth quotes: Would that I were still a ludicrous character in his lousy book! Would that I were still a ludicrous character in his lousy book!
Philip Roth quotes: Do me a favor, my people, and stick your suffering heritage up your suffering ass_ I happen also to be a human being! Do me a favor, my people, and stick your suffering heritage up your suffering ass_ I happen also to be a human being!
Philip Roth quotes: All that we don't know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing. All that we don't know is astonishing. Even more astonishing is what passes for knowing.
Philip Roth quotes: Anything can happen to anyone, but it usually doesn't. Except when it does. Anything can happen to anyone, but it usually doesn't. Except when it does.
Philip Roth quotes: Nathan called all shiksas Mariathe explanation seemed as ludicrously simple as that. Nathan called all shiksas Maria
the explanation seemed as ludicrously simple as that.
Philip Roth quotes: Don't care why we have it, we are here to admit that we have it and help each other get rid of it. Don't care why we have it, we are here to admit that we have it and help each other get rid of it.
Philip Roth quotes: I think I write or publish as much as I do because I can bear being without a book to work on. I think I write or publish as much as I do because I can bear being without a book to work on.
Philip Roth quotes: I left the front stoop on Leslie Street, ate of the fruit of the tree of fiction, and nothing, neither reality nor myself, has been the same since. I left the front stoop on Leslie Street, ate of the fruit of the tree of fiction, and nothing, neither reality nor myself, has been the same since.
Philip Roth quotes: (Writing is) the transformation, through an elaborate impersonation, of a personal emergency into a public act (in both senses of that word). (Writing is) the transformation, through an elaborate impersonation, of a personal emergency into a public act (in both senses of that word).
Philip Roth quotes: We live in an age in which the imagination of the novelist is helpless against what he knows he is going to read in tomorrow's newspaper. We live in an age in which the imagination of the novelist is helpless against what he knows he is going to read in tomorrow's newspaper.
Philip Roth quotes: There were many hours when I never quite know how I'd gotten there or why I stayed. There were many hours when I never quite know how I'd gotten there or why I stayed.
Philip Roth quotes: A writer has to be driven crazy to help him to see. A writer needs his poisons. A writer has to be driven crazy to help him to see. A writer needs his poisons.
Philip Roth quotes: Unless one is inordinately fond of subordination, one is always at war. Unless one is inordinately fond of subordination, one is always at war.
Philip Roth quotes: For a pure sense of being tumultuously alive, you can't beat the nasty side of existence. For a pure sense of being tumultuously alive, you can't beat the nasty side of existence.
Philip Roth quotes: Because that is when you love somebody - when you see them being game in the face of the worst. Not courageous. Not heroic. Just game. Because that is when you love somebody - when you see them being game in the face of the worst. Not courageous. Not heroic. Just game.
Philip Roth quotes: Literature got me into this mess and literature is going to have to get me out of it. Literature got me into this mess and literature is going to have to get me out of it.
Philip Roth quotes: I turn sentences around. That's my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and turn it around again ... I turn sentences around. That's my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and turn it around again ...
Philip Roth quotes: The ending is immense. Tell it plainly". The ending is immense. Tell it plainly".
Philip Roth quotes: Satire is moral outrage transformed into comic art. Satire is moral outrage transformed into comic art.
Philip Roth quotes: Everybody else is working to change, persuade, tempt and control them. The best readers come to fiction to be free of all that noise. Everybody else is working to change, persuade, tempt and control them. The best readers come to fiction to be free of all that noise.
Philip Roth quotes: And I experienced the bitter helplessness of a taunted old man dying to be whole again. And I experienced the bitter helplessness of a taunted old man dying to be whole again.
Philip Roth quotes: With only adolescent introspection to light the way, each of us, hopelessly pubescent, alone and in secret, attempted to regulate With only adolescent introspection to light the way, each of us, hopelessly pubescent, alone and in secret, attempted to regulate
Philip Roth quotes: I'm so drunk my head doesn't even need my neck. I'm so drunk my head doesn't even need my neck.
Philip Roth quotes: Simple is never that simple. Simple is never that simple.
Philip Roth quotes: As far as I can see there is no conquering or exorcising the past with words - words born either of imagination or forthrightness. As far as I can see there is no conquering or exorcising the past with words - words born either of imagination or forthrightness.
Philip Roth quotes: There's something every woman wants, and that's a man to blame. There's something every woman wants, and that's a man to blame.
Philip Roth quotes: vowing himself to "just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty." After vowing himself to "just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty." After
Philip Roth quotes: There's no remaking reality ... Just take it as it comes. Hold your ground and take it as it comes. There's no other way. There's no remaking reality ... Just take it as it comes. Hold your ground and take it as it comes. There's no other way.
Philip Roth quotes: If you don't know the fantasy life of a country, it's hard to write fiction about it. If you don't know the fantasy life of a country, it's hard to write fiction about it.
Philip Roth quotes: For discipline is imposed not just on oneself but on those in one's orbit. For discipline is imposed not just on oneself but on those in one's orbit.
Philip Roth quotes: Just like those who are incurably ill, the aged know everything about their dying except exactly when. Just like those who are incurably ill, the aged know everything about their dying except exactly when.
Philip Roth quotes: Mark my words, Messner: the world is waiting, it's licking its chops, to take your boy away.'" "And my Mark my words, Messner: the world is waiting, it's licking its chops, to take your boy away.'" "And my
Philip Roth quotes: The secret to living in the rush of the world with a minimum of pain is to get as many people as possible to string along with your delusions ... The secret to living in the rush of the world with a minimum of pain is to get as many people as possible to string along with your delusions ...
Philip Roth quotes: Human conduct can be regulated, and it will be regulated! The Human conduct can be regulated, and it will be regulated! The
Philip Roth quotes: How much time could you spend staring out the ocean, even if it was the ocean you'd loved since you were a boy? How much time could you spend staring out the ocean, even if it was the ocean you'd loved since you were a boy?
Philip Roth quotes: Actually we did not have the feelings we said we had until we spoke themat least I didn't; to phrase them was to invent them and own them. Actually we did not have the feelings we said we had until we spoke them
at least I didn't; to phrase them was to invent them and own them.
Philip Roth quotes: The book really comes to life in the rewriting. The book really comes to life in the rewriting.
Philip Roth quotes: Nothing keeps its promise. Nothing keeps its promise.
Philip Roth quotes: Why, emotionally, is a man of his type reciprocally connected to a woman of her type? The usual reason: their flaws fit. Why, emotionally, is a man of his type reciprocally connected to a woman of her type? The usual reason: their flaws fit.
Philip Roth quotes: This is what you know about someone you have to hate: he charges you with his crime and castigates himself in you. This is what you know about someone you have to hate: he charges you with his crime and castigates himself in you.
Philip Roth quotes: Nothing lasts and yet nothing passes either, and nothing passes just because nothing lasts. Nothing lasts and yet nothing passes either, and nothing passes just because nothing lasts.
Philip Roth quotes: Oh, to be a center fielder, a center fielder- and nothing more Oh, to be a center fielder, a center fielder- and nothing more
Philip Roth quotes: He was no more, freed frombeing, entering into nowhere without even knowing it. Just as he'd feared from the start. He was no more, freed from
being, entering into nowhere without even knowing it. Just as he'd feared from the start.
Philip Roth quotes: There are no uncontaminated angels There are no uncontaminated angels
Philip Roth quotes: A Jewish man with his parents alive is half the time a helpless infant! A Jewish man with his parents alive is half the time a helpless infant!
Philip Roth quotes: People think of history in the long term, but history, in fact, it's a very sudden thing. People think of history in the long term, but history, in fact, it's a very sudden thing.
Philip Roth quotes: YEvery man's endeavor was imbued with responsibility YEvery man's endeavor was imbued with responsibility
Philip Roth quotes: He was struck by how lives diverge and by how powerless each of us is up against the force of circumstance. And where does God figure in this? He was struck by how lives diverge and by how powerless each of us is up against the force of circumstance. And where does God figure in this?
Philip Roth quotes: Who are the new people when you do meet them? They're the same old people in masks.There's nothing new about them at all. They're people. Who are the new people when you do meet them? They're the same old people in masks.
There's nothing new about them at all. They're people.
Philip Roth quotes: A life of writing books is a trying adventure in which you cannot find out where you are unless you lose your way. A life of writing books is a trying adventure in which you cannot find out where you are unless you lose your way.

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