Jennifer Egan Quotes

When I was growing up, there were two things that were unpopular in my house. One was me, and the other was my guitar.

There was a great strain in our family because my father didn't want anything to do with me. He was happy to see my brother and sister, but not me. I don't know why. Maybe it was shame. I don't know. But he never wanted anything to do with me. That rejection was terribly hurtful and it went on for years.

I didn't ever feel close to my real family. I didn't feel validated; I never felt right because I was always wrong.

I think I'm extremely vulnerable and that in some ways I seek out rejection. Never feeling like you're getting that pat on the back from dad is probably at the heart of that.

She hates me and you hate me, but you all love Harry. Nobody loves me.

I'm not saying my mother didn't like me, but she kept looking for loopholes in my birth certificate.

Jane was my wicked stepmother: she was generous, affectionate and resourceful; she salvaged my schooling and I owe her an unknowable debt for that. One flaw: sometimes, early on, she would tell me things designed to make me think less of my mother, and I would wave her away, saying, 'Jane, this just backfires and makes me think less of you.'

I had a very rocky, difficult, emotional childhood with my parents.

My stepfather was fond of letting me know, quote, 'I ain't your... damn daddy.' That was something that was painful, to put it mildly.

I'll just go over to the Duke's," I said. "Her parents already told me I could stay there. I'll go over there and open all my presents, and talk about how my parents neglect me, and then maybe the Duke will give me some of her presents because she feels so bad about how my mom doesn't love me.

It must be awful to feel you're not needed.

I've never really been wanted.

I didn't have a home in the world, so I wanted a home in a person. I felt like I had found that, and then it was taken away from me.

I think a lot of my angst comes from feeling unaccepted.

Family are the people that can hurt you the most.

There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road.

I suspect I wasn't loved enough as a child.

Why should i care? Cause you werent there when i was scared. I was so alone.

How can I ask anyone to love me when all I do is beg to be left alone?

I don't feel very good about myself. People always leave me. Nobody can stand me for very long. I wish I could cut my tongue out, or take out the part of my brain that has opinions. Or cares. I wish I could be simple. Be quiet, introverted, or shy. I'm half way in between a wallflower at a party and Elvis Presley. People love one or the other. In between is no place to be.

It's very hard, feeling that you're no more than a piece of unwanted furniture in this world.

You know the troubles I've had with my two older children. I can't understand why it turned out so badly. I tried to give them everything. I loved them and tried to keep them near me, even when they didn't return my love. Well, I couldn't make them love me, but they could have shown some respect. I couldn't insist on love, but I could insist on respect.

Honestly, not being well received makes me feel very vulnerable. Not being included or regarded highly enough makes me crazy.

why couldn't someone , somewhere , want her for her ?