Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
I am happy to be a regional writer. My region is the American West, old Mexico, West Virginia, New York, Europe, Australia, the human heart, and the male groin.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses pride in being a writer whose experiences and influences span diverse geographical and emotional landscapes.
Edward Abbey's quote highlights the breadth of his artistic inspiration as a writer. He embraces the variety and richness of his experiences across different regions and cultures, suggesting that true artistry comes from a deep connection to both the physical world and the complex emotions of humanity. The mention of specific places and even the 'human heart' and 'male groin' indicates how personal and universal elements intertwine in his work, emphasizing that every landscape can offer profound stories and insights.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a creative writing workshop, this quote could inspire participants to explore their own unique backgrounds and influences.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes βI love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Similar quotes
Writing is not an exercise in excision, it's a journey into sound.
Who knows if the moon's / a balloon, coming out of a keen city / in the sky - filled with pretty people?
The hidden harmony is better than the obvious.
What are American dry-goods? asked the duchess, raising her large hands in wonder and accentuating the verb. American novels, answered Lord Henry.
Without the aesthetic, the computer is but a mindless speed machine, producing effects without substance, form without relevant content, or content without meaningful form.
How are we going to make painters by lecturing to them? We are going to make questioners, doubters, and talkers. We are going to make painters by painting ourselves, and by showing the paintings of others. By working frankly from our convictions, we are going to make them work frankly from theirs.