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Quote by Annie Ernaux

“We scribbled down writers’ reflections on life, discovered the joys of describing ourselves to ourselves with shimmering turns of phrase, ‘existence is to drink oneself without thirst.’ We were overcome by nausea and a feeling of the absurd.”

Quote by Annie Ernaux

Book:Les Années
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Work

Les Années

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Author

Annie Ernaux
Annie Ernaux

Annie Ernaux, born on September 1, 1940, is a renowned French writer known for her autobiographical novels. Her works delve into the relationship between personal memory and history, as well as the impact of social class on individual destiny. more

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“Parce que c'est ma mère, elle qui a sacrifié chacun de ses jours et plusieurs de ses nuits pour me voir libérée des servilités et soumissions qui étaient les siennes, qui a souahaité le plus ma réussite. Parce qu'elle a prié la vierge Marie à genoux dans toutes les chapelles pour que j'échappe aux fatalités du destin social. Parce que même si je me contruisais contre elle en embrassant les codes qui l'excluent, j'ai produit sa fierté. Parce que la trahison que l'ascension suppose était non seulement attendue mais espérée.”

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Book:Là où je me terre
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“Those baby-ghosts love to whisper; they love to hypnotize me every time I smell a newborn’s head or even look at Facebook posts of toddlers splashing in bathtubs and playing in pumpkin patches. But the truth is, those whispers are small echoes of a life that wasn’t supposed to be—a life I unknowingly abandoned when I stepped foot in that classroom and used my time to care for other people’s children. Those whispers taunt from some innate, ancestral, maybe even mystical place of wonder that, surely, I’ll never understand. What I do understand is the transformative value—how to use those voices to repair others and bring meaning to my life. For every student rocking in that blue chair, I have purpose.”

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Book:Burning Sage
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“Side jobs that came my way provided an excellent tutorial on working the street: Learn how to hustle – a buck and an opportunity. How to read a man, his eyes and his intent. Guard your own and keep your own counsel. Make them say a number first and stay or go based on your own designs. Never lie but never give in. When they try to manhandle the situation, and get up in your face about it, step in even closer. If they talk too loud, pretending they're tough, lower your voice, make them lean in to hear and get them off balance. Always give a man an out. Never shame them, but create their indebtedness to you. Assume authority quietly. Yea, I learned a lot and I learned it well.”

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Book:Rotten Fruit in an Unkempt Garden: A Memoir in Poetry and Prose
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