Elif Batuman Quotes
Quotes to Explore
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I don't mind being interviewed on television or radio.
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On my best days, such as when I was a junior in high school coming off a 42-point performance and near triple-double, my dad was there to tell me I haven't arrived yet and bring me back to reality.
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Humor's always been the problem of my work, hasn't it? When working, I feel satisfied when I surprise myself. And when I surprise myself, I wind up laughing.
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All of the songs my grandparents and parents listened to are called boleros - they're all love songs. They're about giving your heart to a person. It's a culture that is so romantic and passionate, and that's something that I'm very proud of. We grew up with nothing, so we just want to live a life full of love.
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As the possessor of complete knowledge, God is not mistaken about people's experiences as people are mistaken about each others' experiences.
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Interestingly, one thing I've found that neither women nor men give up on is the idea of men as protectors. Even in cases where the woman is earning more, they'll often tell me that if there were a fire or something, they would expect the man to be the one to protect them.
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Suspicion and doubt lead to animosity and hatred.
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Experiencing sadness and anger can make you feel more creative, and by being creative, you can get beyond your pain or negativity.
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From Syria even to Rome I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only grow worse when they are kindly treated.
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I've been very clear. I won. I didn't commit the crime.
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I make hits.
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I've not sat with my agent going: 'Where is the next hopeless girl I can play?' They just come along.
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As women, we must speak out, speak up, say no to our inheritance of loss and yes to a future of women-led dialogue about women's rights and value.
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Let me say what I actually believe. I believe that 9/11 was a conspiracy, by Al Qaeda, and Osama Bin Laden, and no one else trying to hurt America.
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Most writers have no idea how to make a film. It's a totally different skill set. Nor is it just to translate exactly what's on the page directly on to the screen - because that would be terrible. It would be five hours long, and the structure would be a mess. But the writers know the characters and the story.
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I know enough about European politics to know you've got a lot of crazy people who make their way onto the ballot.
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Many children make up, or begin to make up, imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.
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You want your partner to objectify you.
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I took two fiction-writing courses in college and majored in literature. I felt that I had a knack though I wouldn't go so far as to call it a talent. But it scared me. I felt it was a childish thing wanting to write and that I would forget about it eventually.
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Fortune cookies are a good idea. If the message is positive, it can make your day a little better.
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Palmares Tres is a society born out of a distinct, idiosyncratic utopian vision formed in the midst of an apocalypse. I would say the residents of Palmares Tres respect the strength of that history and their remarkable ability to rise from the ashes of the old world.
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I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.
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Never go to your high school reunion pregnant or they will think that is all you have done since you graduated.
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A lot of what I write is very personal.
