“It can be really exasperating to look back at your past. What’s the matter with you? I want to ask her, my younger self, shaking her shoulder. If I did that, she would probably cry. Maybe I would cry, too. It would be like one of those Marguerite Duras books I tried to read in Svetlana’s aunt’s apartment. Elle pleure. Il pleure. Ils pleurent, tous les deux.”
Elif Batuman is a Turkish-American author born in 1977. Her works are known for their humor and depth, primarily exploring themes of personal identity, cultural differences, and the experience of growing up. Her debut novel, 'The Possessed', received widespread acclaim. more
“You remind me of dusk, so beautiful yet so sad.”
“Crediting someone for your unhappiness is about not taking responsibility yourself.”
“Wisdom taught me to let go; discipline taught me to walk away.”
“Sometimes you feel that you are crying but tears won't come out of your eyes.”
“Sadness taught me to let someone hurt me and yet still talk beautifully about them.”