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Quote by James A. Michener

“A writer can make a fortune in America, but he can't make a living.”

Quote by James A. Michener

Author

James A. Michener

James A. Michener was an American author renowned for his epic novels, which are typically set against the backdrop of history and delve deeply into characters and events. Michener's writing style is characterized by its detailed descriptions and rich imagination, making him a favorite among readers. more

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“As a writer I have persisted in my uncertainty, alternating between novels which could charitably be considered literature and world reporting which by another stretch of objective standards might be called history.”

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“I do believe that everyone growing up faces differential opportunities. With me, it was books and travel and some good teachers.”

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“I don’t know who my parents were. I know nothing about my inheritance. I could be Jewish; I could be part Negro; I could be Irish; I could be Russian. I am spiritually a mix anyway, but I did have a solid childhood fortunately, because of some wonderful women who brought me up. I never had a father or a man in the house, and that was a loss...”

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“Universal peace sounds ridiculous to the head of an average family.”

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“I feel myself the inheritor of a great background of people. Just who, precisely, they were, I have never known. I might be part Negro, might be part Jew, part Muslim, part Irish. So I can't afford to be supercilious about any group of people because I may be that people.”

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“I had been educated with free scholarships. I went to nine different universities, always at public expense, and when you have that experience, you are almost obligated to give it back. It's as simple as that.”

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“I have only one bit of advice to beginning writers: be sure your novel is read by Rodgers and Hammerstein.”

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“I think the bottom line is that if you get through a childhood like mine, it's not at all bad. Obviously, you come out a pretty tough turkey, and you have had all the inoculations you need to keep you on a level keel for the rest of your life. The sad part is, most of us don't come out.”

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“I think the crucial thing in the writing career is to find what you want to do and how you fit in. What somebody else does is of no concern whatever except as an interesting variation.”

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“I think young people ought to seek that differential experience that is going to knock them off dead center. I was a typical American school boy. I happened to get straight A's and be pretty good in sports. But I had no great vision of what I could be. And I never had any yearning.”

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Author:James A. Michener