March 26, 2013
Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) stunned readers with her morally driven stories peopled with grotesque characters. Even while stricken with lupus, she wrote every day, producing a body of work that included two novels and more than thirty short stories. She was also an avid book reviewer, penning more than 100 reviews for various publications.
Although she lived a somewhat sheltered life, O’Connor’s work depicted subtleties of human behavior with razor precision. Her dark humor wasn’t appreciated by all — its religious overtones (she was a devout Catholic) were highly provocative. Today, her work is still much discussed because of its detail, symbolism and imagery. Her work is categorized as “Southern Gothic,” and relies heavily on regional themes. O’Connor famously said: “Anything that comes out of the South is going to be called grotesque by the northern reader, unless it is grotesque, in which case it is going to be called realistic.”
Read more at http://www.literaryladiesguide.com/author-biography/oconnor-flannery/#GFzojMafmk41JbI1.99
Today is Flannery O'Connor's birthday. She is, or would have been a year younger than my mother had she not died at the age of 39. We can only wonder what we missed from her writing due to this untimely death in her career. Her body of work is one that I enjoy and respect and feel a bit sad that she did not live to a ripe old age to keep her readers wanting more.
Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) stunned readers with her morally driven stories peopled with grotesque characters. Even while stricken with lupus, she wrote every day, producing a body of work that included two novels and more than thirty short stories. She was also an avid book reviewer, penning more than 100 reviews for various publications.
Although she lived a somewhat sheltered life, O’Connor’s work depicted subtleties of human behavior with razor precision. Her dark humor wasn’t appreciated by all — its religious overtones (she was a devout Catholic) were highly provocative. Today, her work is still much discussed because of its detail, symbolism and imagery. Her work is categorized as “Southern Gothic,” and relies heavily on regional themes. O’Connor famously said: “Anything that comes out of the South is going to be called grotesque by the northern reader, unless it is grotesque, in which case it is going to be called realistic.”
Read more at http://www.literaryladiesguide.com/author-biography/oconnor-flannery/#GFzojMafmk41JbI1.99
Today is Flannery O'Connor's birthday. She is, or would have been a year younger than my mother had she not died at the age of 39. We can only wonder what we missed from her writing due to this untimely death in her career. Her body of work is one that I enjoy and respect and feel a bit sad that she did not live to a ripe old age to keep her readers wanting more.
Below are a few of her many quotes that speak to me. I particularly like the next to last one on my list. Click the link below to read all of her quotes and more about Flannery O'Connor.
Flannery O’Connor Quotes:
“I am a writer because writing is the thing I do best.”
“I write to discover what I know.”
“The way to despair is to refuse to have any kind of experience.”
“Not-writing is a good deal worse than writing.” (The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor, 1978)
“Your criticism sounds to me as if you have read too many critical books and are too smart in an artificial, destructive, and very limited way.” (The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor, 1978)
“I’m not afraid the book will be controversial, I’m afraid it will not be controversial.”
“The Southerner is usually tolerant of those weaknesses that proceed from innocence.”
Read more at http://www.literaryladiesguide.com/author-biography/oconnor-flannery/#GFzojMafmk41JbI1.99
Copyright © 2014 Annie - my comments on this article.
Always…I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love.
Flannery O’Connor Quotes:
“I am a writer because writing is the thing I do best.”
“I write to discover what I know.”
“The way to despair is to refuse to have any kind of experience.”
“Not-writing is a good deal worse than writing.” (The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor, 1978)
“Your criticism sounds to me as if you have read too many critical books and are too smart in an artificial, destructive, and very limited way.” (The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O’Connor, 1978)
“I’m not afraid the book will be controversial, I’m afraid it will not be controversial.”
“The Southerner is usually tolerant of those weaknesses that proceed from innocence.”
Read more at http://www.literaryladiesguide.com/author-biography/oconnor-flannery/#GFzojMafmk41JbI1.99
Copyright © 2014 Annie - my comments on this article.
Always…I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love.
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