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Quote by Sam Shepard

“When you're looking for someone, you're looking for some aspect of yourself, even if you don't know it ... What we're searching for is what we lack.”

Quote by Sam Shepard

Author

Sam Shepard, an American playwright, actor, and director, was born on November 5, 1943. Known for his unique narrative style and profound emotional expression, he is considered an outstanding representative of American theater. more

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“I was in the war. I know how to kill. I was over there. I know how to do it. I've done it before. It's no big deal. You just make an adjustment. You convince yourself it's all right. That's all. It's easy. You just slaughter them.”

Knows War Done Bigs Easy Deals Know How Murder Convince Big Deal Adjustment Slaughter

Book:Curse of the Starving Class: A Play in Three Acts

Source: Curse of the Starving Class: A Play in Three Acts

“I think without writing I would feel completely useless.”

Thinking Feels Writing Useless

Author:Sam Shepard

“When you see the way things deteriorate before your very eyes. Everything running down hill. It's kind of silly to even think about youth.”

Thinking Way Kind Eye Running Youth Silly Hills

Book:Buried Child

Source: Buried Child

“The California I knew, old rancho California, is gone. It just doesn't exist, except maybe in little pockets. I lived on the edge of the Mojave Desert, an area that used to be farm country. There were all these fresh-produce stands with avocados and date palms. You could get a dozen artichokes for a buck or something. Totally wiped out now.”

Littles Country Used Gone Produce Areas Edges Used To Be Desert California Pockets Farms Dozen Palms Bucks Avocados Artichokes Mojave

Author:Sam Shepard

“When I first started, I didn't really know how to structure a play. I could write dialogue, but I just sort of failed beyond that, and kind of went wherever I wanted to go.”

Knows Writing Firsts Kind Play Wanted Know How Structure Dialogue

Author:Sam Shepard

“Farm country -- you know, hay, horses, cattle. It's the ideal situation for me. I like the physical endeavors that go with the farm -- cutting hay, cleaning out stalls, or building a barn. You go do that and then come back to the writing.”

Knows Writing Country Situation Cutting Building Ideals Horse Endeavor Farms Cleaning Cattle Barns Hay

Author:Sam Shepard

“My first job was with the Burns Detective Agency. They sent me over to the East River to guard coal barges during these god-awful hours like three to six in the morning. It wasn't a very difficult job -- all I had to do was make a round every fifteen minutes -- but it turned out to be a great environment for writing. I was completely alone in a little outhouse with an electric heater and a little desk.”

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Author:Sam Shepard

“The funny thing about having all this so-called success is that behind it is a certain horrible emptiness.”

Certain Behinds Horrible Emptiness Funny Things

Author:Sam Shepard

“All that stuff about my father and my childhood is interesting up to a certain point, but I kind of capsized with the family drama a long time ago. Now I want to get away from that. Not that I won't return to it, but a certain element has been exhausted, and it feels like why regurgitate all this stuff?”

Want Feels Kind Long Has Beens Certain Father Stuff Interesting Childhood Return Drama Elements Long Time Get Away Exhausted Long Time Ago Family Drama

Author:Sam Shepard

“People talk about the 1960s in a nostalgic way, but to me it was terrifying. People were getting assassinated. There was Vietnam. There were race riots. It felt like everything was going to get blown up sky-high. It didn’t feel like flower power. It felt like Armageddon.”

People Way Feels Felt Race Sky Flower Vietnam 1960s Riot Nostalgic Armageddon Sky High Race Riots

Author:Sam Shepard