Writers do not write what they know. They write what they can imagine. Walter Dean Myers More Quotes by Walter Dean Myers More Quotes From Walter Dean Myers As a writer, I absorb stories, allow them to churn within my own head and heart - often for years - until I find a way of telling them that fits both my time and temperament. Walter Dean Myers stories heart years America believes what's good for us is good for the world. It's very difficult to understand that that's not necessarily true. Walter Dean Myers believe america world I wrote for magazines. I wrote adventure stuff, I wrote for the 'National Enquirer,' I wrote advertising copy for cemeteries. Walter Dean Myers magazines stuff adventure My dad was a janitor for U.S. Radium Corporation, and he stayed there for 37 years. So he didn't read. Walter Dean Myers corporations dad years Children have adopted a consumerist attitude - I dare you to entertain me. Walter Dean Myers dare attitude children As a child I wanted to be a professional athlete or lawyer. Walter Dean Myers lawyer athlete children I write in a small office at home. Walter Dean Myers office home writing New York is my favorite city. Walter Dean Myers my-favorite cities new-york One of the lessons learned during the Vietnam War was that the depiction of wounded soldiers, of coffins stacked higher than their living guards, had a negative effect on the viewing public. The military in Iraq specifically banned the photographing of wounded soldiers and coffins, thus sanitizing this terrible and bloody conflict. Walter Dean Myers iraq military war There is a crisis involving reading in certain communities. Walter Dean Myers certain community reading Fifty percent of all meaningful education takes place in the home. What do you share with your child? You share your interests. I was a book person. I read with my son. My wife is an artist. She dragged his little butt around to museums. He's an illustrator of children's books. Walter Dean Myers meaningful book children I joined the army on my seventeenth birthday, full of the romance of war after having read a lot of World War I British poetry and having seen a lot of post-World War II films. I thought the romantic presentations of war influenced my joining and my presentation of war to my younger siblings. Walter Dean Myers sibling birthday war Violence was just as much about WHAT was happening as it was how it happened. Walter Dean Myers happenings happened violence I read a lot of comic books and any kind of thing I could find. One day, a teacher found me. She grabbed my comic book and tore it up. I was really upset, but then she brought in a pile of books from her own library. That was the best thing that ever happened to me. Walter Dean Myers upset teacher book I couldn't speak well. I went to speech therapy for 10 years. And I was sort of frustrated in that sense. Walter Dean Myers frustrated speech years I am very much interested in getting parents to read to children, and trying to get people mentoring children. If I can do both I'll be happy. Walter Dean Myers parent children people Each generation seems to invent its own reasons for war. Walter Dean Myers generations reason war My life is not packaged, Not tidy. There are leftover strands and jagged Edges that cut even my friends. Walter Dean Myers jagged-edge cutting life-is Idiots don't know they're idiots, which is unfortunate. Walter Dean Myers idiot unfortunate knows You cannot live this life anymore without the ability to read. Walter Dean Myers ability this-life
