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Quote by Amy Hempel

“An idea might spark an essay, but never a story.”

Quote by Amy Hempel

Author

Amy Hempel is an American writer renowned for her concise and profound short stories. Her work often delves into themes of interpersonal relationships, loneliness, and death, earning her acclaim from readers and critics alike. more

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“I think of the chimp, the one with the talking hands.”

Thinking Hands Talking

Book:The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

Source: The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

“I sleep with a glass of water on the nightstand so I can see by its level if the coastal earth is trembling or if the shaking is still me.”

Ifs Stills I Can Earth Water Sleep Levels Glasses Shaking Trembling Coastal

Book:The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

Source: The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

“I leave a lot out when I tell the truth”

Telling The Truth

Book:The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

Source: The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

“I could claim any number of high-flown reasons for writing, just as you can explain certain dogs behavior... But maybe, it’s that they’re dog, and that’s what dogs do.”

Writing Reason Certain Numbers Dog Behavior Claims

Author:Amy Hempel

“The year I began to say vahz instead of vase, a man I barely knew nearly accidentally killed me.”

Men Years Vases

Book:The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

Source: The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel

“Good leaders being scarce, following yourself is allowed.”

Leader Following Scarce Good Leader

Author:Amy Hempel

“Reasons always came with a purpose, to give the appearance of a struggle between principle and desire. Principle had power only until you found what you had to have.”

Giving Reason Desire Purpose Found Principles Struggle Appearance

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“You felt it as a depth of ease in certain boys, their innate, affable assurance that they would not have to struggle for a place in the world; that is already reserved for them.”

World Certain Felt Boys Struggle Depth Ease Assurance Innate Reserved Places In The World Affable

Book:Old School

Source: Old School

“The very act of writing assumes, to begin with, that someone cares to hear what you have to say. It assumes that people share, that people can be reached, that people can be touched and even in some cases changed. So many of the things in our world lead us to despair. It seems to me that the final symptom of despair is silence, and that storytelling is one of the sustaining arts; it’s one of the affirming arts. A writer may have a certain pessimism in his outlook, but the very act of being a writer seems to me to be an optimistic act.”

People World Writing May Art Seems Care Certain Silence Cases Share Changed Despair Assuming Finals Storytelling Optimistic Touched Our World Pessimism Symptoms Outlook Sustaining Affirming

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“Time, which is your enemy in almost everything in this life, is your friend in writing.”

Writing Life Is Enemy This Life

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