By Nava Atlas | On July 20, 2017 | Updated March 27, 2023 | Comments (5)
Flannery O’Connor (1925 – 1964) was an American writer best known for her short stories. Though she lived a somewhat sheltered life, O’Connor’s work explored human nature, sometimes its darkest side, and others with razor wit.
Today, her work is still much discussed thanks to its unique detail, symbolism, and imagery. Her work is categorized as “Southern Gothic,” and relies heavily on regional themes.
O’Connor famously said: “Anything that comes out of the South is going to be called grotesque by the northern reader, unless it is grotesque, in which case it is going to be called realistic.” Though her themes were often serious and dark, her writing was imbued with wit. Read More→
By Taylor Jasmine | On July 18, 2017 | Updated November 18, 2022 | Comments (0)
Ayn Rand (1905 – 1982) was a Russian-born American author of fiction and nonfiction known for having developed Objectivism, a philosophy that embraces laissez-faire capitalism and the pursuit of rational self-interest. This selection of quotes by Ayn Rand speak to her philosophical tenets.
Rand certainly has had (and still has) her share of both admirers and detractors, but no one denies her ability to stir controversy as a writer and thinker.
Rand’s nonfiction and her novels, especially Atlas Shrugged (1957), weaves aspects of the Objectivist philosophy into their ponderous plots. Read More→
By Nava Atlas | On July 17, 2017 | Updated October 26, 2022 | Comments (0)
Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867 – 1957) is best known for her Little House series of books for young readers, semi-autobiographical stories about growing up as an American pioneer. Following is a selection of comforting quotes by Laura Ingalls Wilder, reflective of the mood of her classic works.
Born in a log cabin on the edge of an area called “Big Woods” in Pepin, Wisconsin, the life she lived was eventually the basis for her classic books.
While growing up, the Ingalls family traveled by covered wagon through Kansas and Minnesota with all they owned, until finally settling in De Smet, Dakota Territory. There, they thrived on the open spaces of the prairie, farming and raising animals. Read More→
By Nava Atlas | On July 15, 2017 | Updated October 26, 2022 | Comments (0)
Mary McCarthy (1912 – 1989) was an American novelist and political activist. She began her writing career as a critic, gaining respect for her observations on culture and politics.
The Group (1954) was arguably her most popular novel — it sat on the New York Times bestseller list for two years and was made into a popular film.
McCarthy’s novels and stories are part autobiography and part fiction, as she draws on her own experiences, traumas, and successes. That, along with her writing style, made her a respected talent in the writing community. It’s an honest and critical eye that inform this selection of Mary McCarthy’s quotes. Read More→
By Emma Ward | On July 11, 2017 | Updated October 27, 2022 | Comments (0)
Doris Lessing (1919 – 2013) was born in Persia, raised in Rhodesia and spent many years in London. Her first novel, The Grass is Singing, was published in 1950 and had a literary breakthrough with The Golden Notebook (1962), now considered a feminist classic.
When she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2007 the jury described her as “that epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilization to scrutiny.” In 2008 The Times put her at number five in the list of “The 50 Greatest British Writers since 1945.”
Doris Lessing long used her platform as an outspoken opponent of apartheid in South Africa, and spoke regularly about the subject. Her brilliance runs through all her work; here are some quotes from her various works to prove the point. Read More→
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