George Saunders

What a powerful thing to know: That one's own desires are mappable onto strangers; that what one finds in oneself will most certainly be found in The Other. ↗

— George Saunders

#desires #finds #found #know #most

When I write I know that I'm going to have to produce 40 percent more than I need. ↗

— George Saunders

#i #i write #know #more #need

When I'm explaining something to you, if I'm being long-winded, and twisty in a non-productive way, I could make you feel vaguely insulted. And you'd have a right to be. ↗

— George Saunders

#could #explaining #feel #i #insulted

When something really bad is going on in a culture, the average guy doesn't see it. He can't. He's average and is surrounded by and immersed in the cant and discourse of the status quo. ↗

— George Saunders

#average guy #bad #cant #culture #discourse

Developing our sympathetic compassion is not only possible but the only reason for us to be here on earth. ↗

— George Saunders

#developing #earth #here #only #our

You know, you can talk about race, you can talk about sex, you can talk about your biopsy. But when you get into class, people kind of clench up. ↗

— George Saunders

#class #get #into #kind #know

When you read a short story, you come out a little more aware and a little more in love with the world around you. What I want is to have the reader come out just 6 percent more awake to the world. ↗

— George Saunders

#awake #aware #come #i #just

I'm always aware of writing around things I can't do, and I've come to think that that's actually what 'style' is - an avoidance of your deficiencies. ↗

— George Saunders

#always #around #avoidance #aware #come

A John Updike is a once-in-a-generation phenomenon, if that generation is lucky: so comfortable in so many genres, the same lively, generous intelligence suffusing all he did. ↗

— George Saunders

#did #generation #generous #genres #intelligence

Back in 1992, I had my first story accepted by 'The New Yorker.' ↗

— George Saunders

#back #first #had #i #new