#us

I studied English literature in the honors program, which means that you had to take courses in various centuries. You had to start with Old English, Middle English, and work your way toward the modern. I figured if I did that it would force me to read some of the things I might not read on my own. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#courses #did #english #english literature #figured

I was directed because I knew I wanted to be a novelist, but I didn't have a very good job or a way of getting published. I found those years to be among the most difficult of my life. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#because #difficult #directed #found #getting

I was engrossed with the book, I was having difficulties with it, and I just didn't notice the years were going by. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#difficulties #going #having #i #just

I'm not really an autobiographical writer, though I use lots of stuff from my life to make my stories seem real. But when I actually write about myself, I get very confused. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#actually #autobiographical #confused #get #i

If you talk to geneticists they are constantly finding that your genes are being switched on and off because of the environment. Genes alone do not determine an exact path in your life. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#because #being #constantly #determine #environment

One of the reasons I like Barthes more than other writers of that ilk is because he had a literary quality. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#had #i #like #literary #more

It was painful, but sometimes you must have these painful moments where you tear yourself away from something that isn't working. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#moments #must #painful #something #sometimes

It wasn't conscious, but I guess that one book is the reaction to the other. The first is so imprisoned in a male point-of-view, and the second is a point-of-view that can go anywhere it wants. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#book #conscious #first #go #guess

Novelists are always resisting autobiographical readings of their work, because they know how false those can be. ↗

— Jeffrey Eugenides

#autobiographical #because #false #how #know

Look, all this is about is utilizing the rules of the Senate, using a majority of the senators, to make sure that we get health reform done. We cannot wait another day. ↗

— Barbara Boxer

#another #another day #cannot #day #done