If there's an enduring theme in my work, it's probably the effects of class on American life. Richard Russo More Quotes by Richard Russo More Quotes From Richard Russo And there comes a time in your life when you realize that if you don't take the opportunity to be happy, you may never get another chance again. Richard Russo another-chance opportunity life Which is why we have spouses and children and parents and colleagues and friends, because someone has to know us better than we know ourselves. We need them to tell us. We need them to say, "I know you, Al. You are not the kind of man who. Richard Russo parent men children People sometimes get in the habit of being loyal to a mistake. Richard Russo loyal mistake people Have you ever noticed that when people use the expression 'I have to say', what follows usually needn't be said? Richard Russo expression use people What if all everybody needed in the world was to be sure of one friend? What if you were the one, and you refused to say those simple words? Richard Russo what-if new-friendship simple Worse, I have to admit to feeling the jealousy of one crab for another that has managed to climb out of the barrel. Richard Russo crabs barrels feelings Bookstores, like libraries, are the physical manifestation of the wide world's longest, most thrilling conversation. Richard Russo library bookstores world I was the one who did come through that door. You were the one she was waiting for. Richard Russo waiting doors When you don't know what to do, try something; if that doesn't work, try something else. Richard Russo ifs knows trying They stayed, many of them, because staying was easier and less scary than leaving. Richard Russo easier leaving scary You use simple brushstrokes in a screenplay for things over which you would take much greater pains in a novel. Richard Russo pain simple use What I discovered I liked best about striking out on my bicycle was that the farther I got from home, the more interesting and unusual my thoughts became. Richard Russo home travel interesting I think that if people are instructed about anything, it should be about the nature of cruelty. And about why people behave so cruelly to each other. And what kind of satisfactions they derive from it. And why there is always a cost, and a price to be paid. Richard Russo cost people thinking After all, what was the whole wide world but a place for people to yearn for their heart's impossible desires, for those desires to become entrenched in defiance of logic, plausibility, and even the passage of time, as eternal as polished marble. Richard Russo desire heart people He'd discovered that his memories of that summer were like bad movie montages - young lovers tossing a Frisbee in the park, sharing a melting ice-cream cone, bicycling along the river, laughing, talking, kissing, a sappy score drowning out the dialogue because the screenwriter had no idea what these two people might say to each other. Richard Russo kissing summer memories There are a great many sins in this world, none of them original. Richard Russo this-world sin world I don't think there's a shortage of material in the world. Or in my head. I just pray for continued good health, because I've got other stories to tell. Richard Russo stories world thinking Stories worked much the same way . . . A false note at the beginning was much more costly than one nearer the end because early errors were part of the foundation. Richard Russo foundation errors stories Go to it. Be bold. Be true. Be kind. Rotate your tires. Don't drink so much. There aren't going to be enough liver transplants to go around. Richard Russo be-kind tire graduation By ignoring a lot of American culture you can write more interesting stories. Unfortunately, if you were writing about America as it is, you'd be writing about a lot of people sitting in front of television sets. Richard Russo writing america people
