"My mother had a very difficult childhood, having seen her own mother kill herself. So she didn't always know how to be the nurturing mother that we all expect we should have."

Family, Mother, Childhood

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"My mother had a very difficult childhood, having seen her own mother kill herself. So she didn't always know how to be the nurturing mother that we all expect we should have."

Explore more quotes by Amy Tan

"In America nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you."

Immigration, America, Circumstances

"I used to think that my mother got into arguments with people because they didn't understand her English, because she was Chinese."

Family, Mother, People, Arguments, English

"I would find myself laughing and wondering where these ideas came from. You can call it imagination, I suppose. But I was grateful for wherever they came from."

Imagination, Ideas

"I was intelligent enough to make up my own mind. I not only had freedom of choice, I had freedom of expression."

Choice, Expression, Freedom, Mind

"I think I've always been somebody, since the deaths of my father and brother, who was afraid to hope. So, I was more prepared for failure and for rejection than for success."

Success, Father, Brother, Failure

"I did not lose myself all at once. I rubbed out my face over the years washing away my pain, the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water."

Pain, Water, Years

"I also thought of playing improvisational jazz and I did take lessons for a while. At first I tried to write fiction by making up things that were completely alien to my life."

Life, Thought, Fiction, First

"I have a writer's memory which makes everything worse than maybe it actually was."

Memory, Writer

"I loved fairy tales when I was a kid. Grimm. The grimmer the better. I loved gruesome gothic tales and, in that respect, I liked Bible stories, because to me they were very gothic."

Bible, Respect

"Writing is an extreme privilege but it's also a gift. It's a gift to yourself and it's a gift of giving a story to someone."

Writing, Extreme, Giving, Privilege

Exlpore more Family quotes

"Mothers care in volumes of tears and earnestness of prayers and a depth of emotion others cannot fathom."

Richelle E. Goodrich, American Poet

Family, Motherhood, Love, Prayer, Emotion

"Big Brother is watching you."

George Orwell, British Author

Family, Brother

"Some men do not know the father of 'their' children."

Mokokoma Mokhonoana, South African Philosopher

Family, Truth, Relationship, Regret

"We Lannisters do have a certain pride," said Tyrion Lannister."Pride? Catelyn snapped. His mocking tone and easy manner made her angry. "Arrogance, some might call it. Arrogance and avarice and lust for power."My brother is undoubtedly arrogant, Tyrion Lannister replied. "My father is the soul of avarice, and my sweet sister Cersei lusts for power with every waking breath. I, however, am innocent as a little lamb. Shall I bleat for you? He grinned."

George R. R. Martin, American Author

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"Never give up your wife, husband, children and families. Believe that people can change. Give others opportunity to change."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

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"Many families remain for years in the same place, though both husband and wife are sick of it, simply because there is neither complete division nor agreement between them."

Leo Tolstoy, Russian Novelist

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"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

Family, Children, Clothes

"Blessed is the womb that born you."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Family, Blessed, Womb, Birth, Mother

"Until now, you have always lived your life alone. Every decision you've made has been for you and you alone. Now, and for the rest of your days, your life will be tied to another's. Every decision you make will be for both of you. What one does affects the other. You are a family, a team inseparable and unbreakable."

Richelle Mead, American Author

Family, Partnership, Decision, Teamwork

"A rubber plant is just about the ideal family."

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

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