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Quote by Porochista Khakpour

“Addiction is a very compelling subject for literature - especially now that it's nearly impossible to come out of adult experience without some addiction - to substances, sure, but also to love, sex, success, failure, power.”

Quote by Porochista Khakpour

Author

Porochista Khakpour

Porochista Khakpour is an American novelist born on January 17, 1978. Her works often focus on the identity and cultural conflicts of Iranian Americans, as well as personal growth. Her debut novel 'Lowland' was nominated for the National Book Award in 2013 and won numerous other awards. more

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“My characters' addictions are what makes them a bit stylized or "grotesque" - not just in appearance but through what drives them. Addiction is what threatens stability and normalcy and yet it seems very much a part of being human - at least we are all a bit obsessive and compulsive. Aren't all humans driven by mad desires for one thing or another?”

Humans Character Seems Desire Bits One Thing Mad Addiction Appearance Driven Stability Being Human Obsessive Grotesque Normalcy

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“For me, every human is a little bit an exaggerated version of a real human - in most cases, they are versions of myself. I am someone deeply motivated by extremes - the poles not only become home for me, but they also become, strangely, my comfort zones.”

Humans Littles Real Home Bits Cases Comfort Little Bit Extremes Versions Zone Coming Home Motivated Comfort Zone Exaggerated Real Human

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“There is less gray area there, less doubt. There is a security in being some thing all the way. Our culture, too, encourages this way of being - exaggeration, for example, is the key to advertising success in the United States. But hyperbole also seems a big part of Iranian culture, as well.”

Way Wells States Bigs Seems Culture United United States Doubt Security Example Keys Areas Advertising Gray Exaggeration Iranian Hyperbole Gray Area

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“I guess none of the sides of my hyphen are particularly subtle cultures. But perhaps there is also a sense that these characters are all parentless - every character in this book is feral in some way - without any guidance in their upbringing. They find no choice but to seek refuge in extreme behaviors.”

Way Book Character Choices Culture Sides Behavior Extremes Guidance Subtle Refuge Upbringing Hyphens

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“Being unique seems more desirable than ever. People are exhausted by clichés, by platitudes, by mass-produced realities, by what's been done and done and done. The role of a true artist is to present their own unique vision, and so it has always made sense to me that works of art should be radical.”

People Should Art Made Done Reality Seems Artist Vision Roles Mass Unique Radical Works Of Art Exhausted Desirable True Artists Platitudes Being Unique

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“The radical is simply being given more room in the mainstream. And I think young people - I'm talking about the very young millennials - they are bored by so much so fast and have such fast big brains, that they won't digest lazy uninteresting work in the way my generation might have. This is a great opportunity for those on the fringe to be less on the fringe perhaps.”

People Thinking Way Bigs Might Young Opportunity Given Rooms Brain Talking Generations Radical Bored Lazy Mainstream Fringe My Generation Great Opportunity Millennials

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“I just see in pop culture, music, visual art, books, etc., a real hunger for the new and different, and I think that's amazing. Satisfying this hunger is part of the responsibility of a creative person.”

Thinking Persons Art Book Different Real Culture Responsibility Creative Hunger Pops Visuals Etc Satisfying Pop Culture Creative Person Visual Art

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“There are so many reasons, but a big reason is that the literary world is simply too white. When there are more professors of color being employed by these institutions maybe there will be some change in the student populations.”

World Reason Bigs White Students Color Institutions Population Professors Employed

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“I always read the Latin American writers. I love so many of them: Gabriel García Márquez, José Donoso, Alejo Carpentier, Jorge Luis Borges, Clarice Lispector. I also love a lot of American experimental writers and surrealist European writers. But perhaps The Persian Book of Kings was the greatest influence - I encourage people to look at it. There is such a wealth of incredible stories.”

People Looks Book Stories Wealth Influence Kings Incredibles Latin Latin America Persian Gabriel American Writer Borges Latin American Surrealist

Author:Porochista Khakpour

“I love to read and teach experimental fiction but yes, neither this work nor my first novel is really that experimental. It uses some experimental techniques but in the end, I would not say that it is experimental. I'm not sure why. I do a lot of writing on my own, and I have always just written this way.”

Way Writing Firsts Ends Use My Own Fiction Teach Novel Written Technique Not Sure Love To Read

Author:Porochista Khakpour