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Katherine Anne Porter

Katherine Anne Porter Quotes

Journalist

American journalist, novelist, and essayist, known for her profound psychological portraits and unique narrative style. Porter, born in Texas, often explored the relationship between individuals and society, as well as themes of morality and religion in her works. Her notable works include 'The Ship of Fools' and 'The Gate of Heaven'.

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Famous Katherine Anne Porter Quotes

“Even St. Teresa said, "I can pray better when I'm comfortable," and she refused to wear her haircloth shirt or starve herself. I don't think living in cellars and starving is better for an artist than it is for anybody else.”

Thinking Said I Can Artist Praying Comfortable Shirts Starving Cellars Teresa

Book:Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

Source: Katherine Anne Porter: Conversations

“I think I've only spent about ten percent of my energies on writing. The other ninety percent went to keeping my head above water.”

Thinking Writing Energy Water Ten Percent Ninety

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“The very thing about people that makes the human race interesting is also the thing that makes it so hard to get anything done without the most horrible confusions: no two people think exactly the same way about anything.”

People Thinking Way Humans Two Hard Done Interesting Race Horrible Confusion Human Race

Book:Letters of Katherine Anne Porter

Source: Letters of Katherine Anne Porter

“I think joy is just as instructive as pain, and I like it better. I never meant to suffer any more than I could help; my nature was meant for happiness, a daylight art and living.”

Thinking Art Helping Pain Joy Suffering Daylight

Author:Katherine Anne Porter

“There have been many times when I have been so entirely sickened of life it was very hard to work to keep on, a half dozen times I have been tempted to suicide, but I am glad I did not give way, for I have always felt that the last half of my life would somehow atone for the first half, and I still think it may ... It is not possible to live in this world without suffering unless one is a born stone. But it is also possible to have a great deal of happiness in spite of the suffering.”

Thinking World Way Giving Firsts May Has Beens Stills Hard Lasts Suffering Felt Born Deals Half This World Stones Suicide Glad Spite Dozen Tempted

Book:Letters of Katherine Anne Porter

Source: Letters of Katherine Anne Porter

“You are right, none of us live enough, and sometimes I think it is because we mistake hurrah and hullabaloo for experience, we get a sock in the eye and think it is a broken heart.”

Thinking Heart Sometimes Enough Eye Mistake Broken Sock

Book:Letters of Katherine Anne Porter

Source: Letters of Katherine Anne Porter

“The past is never where you think you left it.”

Thinking Past Left

Book:Ship of Fools: A Novel

Source: Ship of Fools: A Novel

About the Author

Born: May 15, 1890
Died: September 18, 1980
Known for: Journalist
Quotes: 134

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Humans People Ifs Knows World Writing Believe Men Art Giving Thinking Want Children Death Has Beens Needs Stories Artist Firsts Hands

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People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Katherine Anne Porter: Collected Stories & Other WritingsRelated source material

Katherine Anne Porter: ConversationsRelated source material

Letters of Katherine Anne PorterRelated source material

Ship of Fools: A NovelRelated source material

Collected stories and other writingsRelated source material

Flowering Judas and Other Stories: A Library of America eBook ClassicRelated source material

Pale Horse, Pale RiderRelated source material

Pale Horse, Pale Rider: Three Short Novels: A Library of America eBook ClassicRelated source material

Ship of FoolsRelated source material

The Collected Stories of Katherine Anne PorterRelated source material

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