I don't like to publicly acknowledge being a Jew. Jonathan Ames More Quotes by Jonathan Ames More Quotes From Jonathan Ames Whenever I wrote fiction, people always seemed to think that what I wrote was true, that it was entirely autobiographical. And when I would write non-fiction, they often accused me of exaggeration and fictionalization. Jonathan Ames writingpeoplethinking I have very few hobbies. In fact, I have no hobbies. Jonathan Ames hobbiesfacts I don't laugh that much, but I do like humorous books, and I like to entertain readers that way. Jonathan Ames humorouslaughingbook My sophomore English teacher encouraged me to write for the school paper, and that's what got me started. Suddenly it struck me that being a writer could be a romantic and adventurous position. Previously, I had thought I would be a tennis pro, giving lessons at a local club. I thought that would be a good life, and it might have been. Jonathan Ames good-lifewritingteacher For me, books have always been a way to feel less alone while being alone. Perhaps if I was depressed and isolated, just communicating with these authors through their sentences helped me. Jonathan Ames communicatebookway I hid my underwear beneath a parked Peugeot. Jonathan Ames underwear After my first novel, my mother said to me, 'Why don't you make your writing more funny? You're so funny in person.' Because my first novel was rather dark. And I don't know, but something about what she said was true. 'Yes, why don't I?' Maybe I was afraid to be funny in the writing. But since then, seven books later, almost everything I've done has a comedic edge to it. Jonathan Ames motherwritingbook It's hard to leave New York: this is where my friends are, my parents are. It is so vital. The whole world seems to look to New York. Jonathan Ames parentnew-yorklooks It's hard for me to think of writing a novel, because it takes so long. Jonathan Ames writinglongthinking I've really never written about my relationships, or things like that. I wouldn't want to divulge things that were too private. Jonathan Ames divulgewrittenwant I've always been inspired by Don Quixote as a role model of sorts, of the power of books to sort of make you insane in maybe a beautiful way. Jonathan Ames role-modelsbeautifulbook Mostly I have to try to censor myself so as not to write things that will hurt other people, or that will go too far. Jonathan Ames hurtwritingpeople The real self and the public self are intertwined, like a tumor around an organ, and you can't cut the tumor or you'll kill the organ, so they live together, until the tumor chokes the organ off - but which self is the tumor?. Or it's like something out of Star Trek. The Borg. Jonathan Ames cuttingstarsreal It seems like the original 'Star Trek' could have gone on longer. Jonathan Ames original-star-trekstarsgone The work changes the way your face changes and ages - it just does. Also, I have very little connection to anything I've written. I move on. We all move on Jonathan Ames connectionsagemoving I don't really know the person who wrote the things I wrote. I kind of know him, but I change so much all the time that it's like I start fresh over and over and over and over. Writing-wise and life-wise. Jonathan Ames kindwisewriting Maybe my work isn't a cry for help. It may just be a baby's need to cry or a dog's need to bark. You know, barks that seem connected to phantom noises and cries that just come; though a baby's cries are usually efficient - something is bothering them. Anyway, I think giving money is a sign of love. If you truly want to help someone, a lot of times giving them money is the best thing you can do. Jonathan Ames dogbabythinking One last thing on objectives - I like to make things, create things, so that's probably been the primary objective all along, even before the ego objective - to make. To record. But why record... that gets back to the ego, a little. Oh, well. Making is good. I like to make things. Jonathan Ames recordsegolittles Nothing wrong with changing your mind. That's a very unwaffling thing to say: "Nothing wrong..." Who am I to say that there's nothing wrong with it? Maybe something is wrong with changing your mind. Anyway, love is very, very difficult. I love. But probably because I hate myself on some deep, sick level, it makes loving difficult. But I do try. Jonathan Ames sickhatelove-is I'm also not sure that I look up to others as knowing what the hell is going on, except maybe Andre Agassi, who, when I interviewed him, while covering the U.S. Open, seemed to know what was going on. My basic assumption is that we're all confused all the time. Some people do act more confident, though. Maybe they aren't confused. I am. I'm confused. Jonathan Ames confusedknowingpeople
