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27 quotes by Lydia Davis

Lydia Davis (born July 15, 1947) is an American writer noted for her short stories. Davis is also a novelist, essayist, and translator from French and other languages, and has produced several new translations of French literary classics, including Proust's Swann’s Way and Flaubert's Madame Bovary.
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Often, the idea that there can be a wide range of translations of one text doesn't occur to people - or that a translation could be bad, very... →

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I never dream in French, but certain French words seem better or more fun than English words - like 'pois chiches' for chick peas!

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I do see an interest in writing for Twitter. While publishers still do love the novel and people do still like to sink into one, the very quick form... →

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I started writing the one-sentence stories when I was translating 'Swann's Way.' There were two reasons. I had almost no time to do my... →

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If a translation doesn't have obvious writing problems, it may seem quite all right at first glance. We readers, after all, quickly adapt to the... →

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I think the close work I do as a translator pays off in my writing - I'm always searching for multiple ways to say things.

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I would recommend, definitely, developing a 'day job' that you like - don't expect to make money writing!

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My stories are sometimes closer to poems or meditations, but often there is at least a little narrative in them.

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Collections aren't really planned. I just keep writing short pieces until I have enough for a collection.

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I always interrupt work with other work, either in a small way or big way, so that's normal.

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I do think novels are overlooked. I did write one some years ago that I think is quite good, called 'The End of the Story,' not to blow my... →

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I don't like to hurt people's feelings, and I don't like to knock other writers as a matter of principle.

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I find teaching - I like it, but I find just walking into the classroom and facing the students very difficult.

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