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Jay McInerney Quotes

Writer

Jay McInerney is a renowned American author, born on January 13, 1955. His works are known for their sharp observations and profound emotional descriptions, with notable titles including 'Rabbit, Run' and 'Bright Lights, Big City'.

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All Thinking World Writing People Big City Book Bright Lights Knows Left Life Novel Sometimes Want Ifs Mean New York Self Taste Art Cocaine

Famous Jay McInerney Quotes

“Most all of the writers I admired when I was in my teens and twenties died young. Fitzgerald lived the longest. He was 44. Dylan Thomas was 39. And then once you're approaching 40, you suddenly think, "Well, maybe I would like to live longer than Fitzgerald or Thomas."”

Thinking Dylan

Author:Jay McInerney

“I think, when I'm writing, I have a more clinical view than I do when I'm reading. I like pretending to be God and basically determining the fate of my characters. But as a reader, I'm a sucker. I'm very sentimental. I get upset when people that I like die. And yet I have killed off characters in my books quite heartlessly, and sometimes found that readers were very upset by it.”

People Thinking Writing Book Sometimes Character Reading Fate Upset Pretending Sentimental Sucker

Author:Jay McInerney

“I think it's dangerous to think you know what you're writing. I usually don't know, and usually I just discover it in the course of writing. I envy those writers who can outline a beginning, a middle, and end. Fitzgerald supposedly did it. John Irving does. Bret Easton Ellis does. But for me, the writing itself is the process of discovery. I can't see all that far ahead.”

Thinking Writing Dangerous Envy

Author:Jay McInerney

“The 20th century saw far greater catastrophes than September 11th, as bad as it was, and they didn't render literature or art or music irrelevant. In fact, I think that literature and art help us to understand - sometimes they provide narratives and metaphors for understanding history, for understanding recent catastrophes.”

Thinking Art Sometimes Helping Literature Understanding Metaphor September Catastrophe Irrelevant 20th Century September 11 September 11th

Author:Jay McInerney

“Sometimes I think the difference between what we want and what we're afraid of is about the width of an eyelash.”

Thinking Want Sometimes Fear Differences Eyelashes Width

Book:How It Ended

Source: How It Ended

“I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them.”

Thinking Men Love Life Romance Sex Sleep Witty Funny Relationship Funny Sex Funny Women Funny Men

Author:Jay McInerney

“You keep thinking that with practice you will eventually get the knack of enjoying superficial encounters, that you will stop looking for the universal solvent, stop grieving. You will learn to compound happiness out of small increments of mindless pleasure.”

Thinking Enjoy Pleasure Practice Universal Grieving Encounters Superficial Compounds Mindless Knack

Book:Bright Lights, Big City

Source: Bright Lights, Big City

“I don't think I've left a trail of weeping women in my wake. I mean, the number of serious relationships I've had has not been into double digits.”

Thinking Mean Left Numbers Serious Trails Weeping Serious Relationship

Author:Jay McInerney

“I remain a fan of my friend Bret Easton Ellis's 'American Psycho.' I think as a book about New York in the '80s it was pretty excellent.”

Thinking Book Fans New York My Friends Excellent 80s Psycho

Author:Jay McInerney

“Sometimes I think everything I touch turns into a Page Six item.”

Thinking Sometimes Turns Six Pages Items

Author:Jay McInerney

About the Author

Born: January 13, 1955
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 71

Books & Sources

Bright Lights, Big CityRelated source material

How It EndedRelated source material

Story of My LifeRelated source material

Brightness FallsRelated source material

The Last of the SavagesRelated source material

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