E. L. Doctorow Quotes

A collection of quotes by E. L. Doctorow.

E. L. Doctorow (1931-2015) was an American novelist and writer known for his historical fiction works. Born in New York City, Doctorow drew inspiration from his own experiences and the events of American history to create vivid narratives. His notable novels include "Ragtime" (1975), "Billy Bathgate" (1989), and "The March" (2005). Doctorow's work often explored themes of identity, social issues, and the impact of historical events on individuals. He received numerous accolades, including the National Book Award, and was widely regarded as one of the most influential American writers of his time.

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.

E. L. Doctorow


One of the things I had to learn as a writer was to trust th

One of the things I had to learn as a writer was to trust the act of writing. To put myself in the position of writing to find out what I was writing.

E. L. Doctorow

Trust

Murders are exciting and lift people into a heart-beating aw

Murders are exciting and lift people into a heart-beating awe as religion is supposed to do, after seeing one in the street young couples will go back to bed and make love, people will cross themselves and thank God for the gift of their stuporous lives, old folks will talk to each other over cups of hot water with lemon because murders are enlivened sermons to be analyzed and considered and relished, they speak to the timid of the dangers of rebellion, murders are perceived as momentary descents of God and so provide joy and hope and righteous satisfaction to parishioners, who will talk about them for years afterward to anyone who will listen.

E. L. Doctorow

Murder

You can't remember sex. You can remember the fact of it, and

You can't remember sex. You can remember the fact of it, and recall the setting, and even the details, but the sex of the sex cannot be remembered, the substantive truth of it, it is by nature self-erasing, you can remember its anatomy and be left with a judgment as to the degree of your liking of it, but whatever it is as a splurge of being, as a loss, as a charge of the conviction of love stopping your heart like your execution, there is no memory of it in the brain, only the deduction that it happened and that time passed, leaving you with a silhouette that you want to fill in again.

E. L. Doctorow

Sex

Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.

Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.

E. L. Doctorow

Authors & Writing

There is no longer any such thing as fiction or nonfiction;

There is no longer any such thing as fiction or nonfiction; there's only narrative.

E. L. Doctorow

Authors & Writing

In the twentieth century one of the most personal relationsh

In the twentieth century one of the most personal relationships to have developed is that of the person and the state. It's become a fact of life that governments have become very intimate with people, most always to their detriment.

E. L. Doctorow

State

The writer isn't made in a vacuum. Writers are witnesses. Th

The writer isn't made in a vacuum. Writers are witnesses. The reason we need writers is because we need witnesses to this terrifying century.

E. L. Doctorow

Authors & Writing

I try to avoid experience if I can. Most experience is bad.

I try to avoid experience if I can. Most experience is bad.

E. L. Doctorow

Experience

Like art and politics, gangsterism is a very important avenu

Like art and politics, gangsterism is a very important avenue of assimilation into society.

E. L. Doctorow

Politics

It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than

It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

E. L. Doctorow

Car