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Chris Bohjalian Quotes

Powerful Chris Bohjalian for Daily Growth

About Chris Bohjalian

Chris Bohjalian is an acclaimed American novelist known for his rich storytelling and profound explorations of human nature. Born on October 22, 1959, in Cornwall, Vermont, Bohjalian grew up in a family deeply rooted in the arts, fostering his love for literature from an early age. He attended the University of Vermont, graduating with a degree in journalism and master's in English in 1984. After working as a reporter for various newspapers, Bohjalian decided to pursue fiction writing full-time. His debut novel, "Midwives," published in 1990, catapulted him into the literary spotlight, earning him critical acclaim and becoming a New York Times bestseller. Throughout his career, Bohjalian has authored more than 20 novels, exploring a wide range of themes such as historical events, family dynamics, social issues, and the human condition. Some of his most notable works include "The Sandcastle Girls," which delves into the Armenian Genocide, and "Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands," a poignant tale set amidst the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. In addition to his fiction work, Bohjalian has also penned two works of nonfiction: "The Double Bond" (1993) and "Before You Know, Know This: Wise and Humorous Reflections on the Stages of Fatherhood" (2006). Bohjalian's works have been translated into over 35 languages, and he has garnered numerous awards, including three Anthony Awards and four Vermont Book Awards. He continues to reside in his native state of Vermont with his wife, author Lisa Rafferty Bohjalian. His latest novel, "The Light in the Fog," was published in 2021. Bohjalian's compelling narratives, rooted in historical events and vividly drawn characters, have established him as one of America's most beloved authors.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In the end, you won't remember the time you spent on the internet, you'll remember the time you spent with real people."

This quote suggests that while our digital world provides numerous opportunities for connection, it is the interactions we have with genuine, real-life individuals that create lasting memories and imprints on our lives. It underscores the importance of nurturing interpersonal relationships in a world where technology often takes center stage.

"Happiness is a function of spiritual wealth, not material."

This quote suggests that true happiness comes from inner peace, personal growth, and spiritual fulfillment, rather than from external or material possessions. It encourages people to focus on building their inner self, nurturing their spirit, and finding meaning in life beyond wealth or physical possessions. In other words, it's the journey of self-discovery, love, purpose, and connection that brings lasting happiness, not the accumulation of material goods.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain."

This quote suggests that instead of merely enduring challenges or hardships (the storm), we should learn to find joy, growth, and resilience amidst them (dancing in the rain). It encourages an attitude of facing life's difficulties with grace, adaptability, and a positive outlook, rather than just waiting for them to disappear.

"The present is a gift, which means it should be opened. And yet it is a fleeting entity."

This quote emphasizes that the present moment, as a gift, should be fully appreciated and enjoyed, for it is temporary and will pass quickly. It encourages us to live in the now rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

"Love is like a violin. In the right hands it can make beautiful music; in the wrong hands, it can produce discord."

This quote suggests that love, much like a violin, has the potential to bring forth beauty or create disharmony depending on how it's handled. When love is nurtured and respected by two individuals, it can lead to harmonious relationships filled with mutual understanding, respect, and joy. However, when love is not treated carefully, misunderstandings, conflicts, and even discord may arise. Essentially, the quote underscores that love requires skill and care to create a melodious symphony of emotions rather than an unpleasant cacophony.

People seem to read so much more nonfiction than fiction, and so it always gives me great pleasure to introduce a friend or family member to a novel I believe they'll cherish but might not otherwise have thought to pick up and read.

- Chris Bohjalian

Believe, Thought, Fiction, Introduce

As a novelist, there are three phone calls you never expect to receive in your lifetime because if you waited for them you would grow despairing - one calling from Stockholm with a Swedish accent, one from the NBA, and one from Oprah Winfrey.

- Chris Bohjalian

Lifetime, Stockholm, Oprah, Novelist

I think the most important lesson isn't necessarily to try and write a different book every time, or to try and brand yourself and write one specific kind of book, but to write the kind of books you love to read.

- Chris Bohjalian

Love, Book, I Think, Brand

What is most important to me is that my narrator's voice is believable, and that, though it is clearly an absolute fiction, it has the emotional resonance of memoir.

- Chris Bohjalian

Voice, Memoir, Though, Narrator

When I was 13, my family moved from a suburb of New York City to Miami, Florida, and we moved there the Friday before Labor Day weekend.

- Chris Bohjalian

City, New, Florida, Friday

On a regular basis if you're trying to produce something, I think you should work every day and set achievable goals.

- Chris Bohjalian

Think, I Think, Set, Goals

If you look at my personal library, you will notice that it ranges from Henry James to Steig Larsson, from Margaret Atwood to Max Hastings. There's Jane Austen and Tom Perrotta and volumes of letters from Civil War privates. It's pretty eclectic.

- Chris Bohjalian

James, Eclectic, Jane Austen, Letters

I answer two or three letters a day. I'm just not the he-has-a-secretary kind of guy.

- Chris Bohjalian

Kind, Answer, Guy, Letters

I do have hobbies - I garden and bike, for example - but there's nothing in the world that gives me even a fraction of the pleasure that I derive from hanging around with my wife and daughter.

- Chris Bohjalian

Wife, Pleasure, Nothing, Derive

On the one hand, I'm this guy who grew up in the suburbs of New York City to very conservative parents, and the other side of me is fascinated by the peripheries of our culture, maybe because that's where our culture is most in transition and where there's likely to be conflict.

- Chris Bohjalian

Conservative, Very, Suburbs, Transition

I'm half-Armenian. Even though my grandparents did not discuss the genocide, and my father - like many sons and daughters of immigrants - wanted to be as 'American' as possible, I was always aware of it. How could I not be?

- Chris Bohjalian

Grandparents, Always, Though, Discuss

I live here in Vermont, in a village of barely a thousand people halfway up the state's third highest mountain.

- Chris Bohjalian

People, Halfway, Here, Vermont

I loved all ghost stories. So I guess it was only a matter of time before I wrote one.

- Chris Bohjalian

Before, Stories, Wrote, Ghost

Why a ghost story? Well, I love them. They're fun to read - and, yes, fun to write.

- Chris Bohjalian

Love, Yes, Read, Ghost

My personal opinion is that, if you're a professional writer, that you do have quotas. So every day I do try to write 800-1,200 words. I don't always achieve it, and the reality is that a lot of the words I write will end up on the cutting-room floor.

- Chris Bohjalian

Every Day, Achieve, I Write, Floor

The reality is that most of North America knows next to nothing of the 20th century's first genocide - the systematic slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians in the First World War.

- Chris Bohjalian

Next, North America, North, First World War

My grandparents, like many genocide survivors, took most of their stories to their graves.

- Chris Bohjalian

Most, Stories, Took, Genocide

My wife and I would be very comfortable having a baby at home or using one of the terrific nurse-midwives at the hospital.

- Chris Bohjalian

Very, Using, Having, Hospital

If you are stymied as a writer, if it's just not coming together, then take the pressure off and don't feel that you need to write 1,000 words today; just write one really good sentence.

- Chris Bohjalian

Words, Feel, Need, Sentence

I need complete silence when I write.

- Chris Bohjalian

Need, I Write, Complete, Silence

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