Lydia Davis Quotes

Powerful Lydia Davis for Daily Growth

About Lydia Davis

Lydia Davis (born September 1, 1947) is an acclaimed American short-story writer, essayist, translator, and poet. Known for her innovative style and concise prose, she has made significant contributions to contemporary literature. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Davis spent her formative years in Alexandria, Virginia. She earned a Bachelor's degree in French literature from Mount Holyoke College in 1969, followed by a Master's from Harvard University in 1970. Her academic background in French language and literature would later influence her minimalist writing style and subject matter. Davis's first collection of stories, "In a Free State," published in 1979, showcased her distinctive approach to storytelling: brief, fragmented narratives that often defied traditional structures while still delivering profound emotional impact. This work earned her the PEN/Hemingway Award and established her as a unique voice in American literature. Throughout her career, Davis has continued to challenge conventional storytelling techniques. Her most famous collection, "Story and Other Stories" (1993), features one-sentence stories that deftly explore complex themes such as love, loss, and the human condition. For this work, she was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship in 2003. In addition to her short fiction, Davis has authored several books of essays and translations from French literature, including works by Gustave Flaubert, Honoré de Balzac, and Jean Genet. Her latest collection, "Can't and Won't," published in 2014, was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize. Lydia Davis's work continues to influence a new generation of writers with its unique blend of simplicity and depth, making her one of the most important literary figures of our time.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"There is something about a new city that always makes me feel like a million dollars."

This quote expresses the exhilaration, freshness, and optimism that one often feels when encountering a new city. The sense of anonymity, discovery, and infinite possibilities can make us feel empowered, as if we have limitless worth or value, symbolized by the phrase "a million dollars." This sentiment underscores the transformative impact cities can have on people's perceptions of themselves, instilling in them a renewed sense of confidence, curiosity, and ambition.


"It's not the same as knowing someone, to love someone."

This quote by Lydia Davis highlights that knowledge about a person, such as their personality traits or background, does not equate to emotional connection or love. Love often involves feelings of affection, empathy, and a desire to care for another person beyond mere information or familiarity. It's essential to remember this when building relationships, as it encourages us to cultivate emotional intimacy rather than relying solely on knowledge or understanding.


"It occurred to me, while I was waiting for my train, that every moment is the right moment for us to do something, if we only knew what it was."

This quote by Lydia Davis emphasizes the idea that every present moment holds potential for action or change, given one possesses the necessary understanding of what that action should be. It encourages us to seize opportunities rather than waiting for a supposedly perfect time, as it suggests every moment is significant and ripe with possibility.


"I never knew anyone who was contented except people with little imaginations."

This quote suggests that individuals who have limited or less active imaginations may find contentment more easily, as they are likely to focus on immediate needs and experiences rather than contemplating the vast possibilities or potential complexities of life. A strong imagination can stir curiosity, ambition, and a desire for change or exploration, which might make one less inclined to settle for the status quo. Contentment, in this context, could be seen as a byproduct of simplicity, predictability, or lack of intellectual challenge, which some people might find comforting, but others may find stifling. The quote implies that an active imagination, while potentially leading to dissatisfaction and restlessness, also provides the means for personal growth, creativity, and a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.


"Everything about him seemed to be in a state of becoming, as if he were an apple still hanging on the tree, swelling and changing color from one minute to the next."

This quote suggests that the person described is undergoing transformation or growth at an accelerated pace. Just like an apple maturing on a tree, this individual's characteristics are constantly evolving and shifting over time. The reader is left with a sense of curiosity about who he will become next.


I think the close work I do as a translator pays off in my writing - I'm always searching for multiple ways to say things.

- Lydia Davis

Think, Always, I Think, Translator

The existence of another, competing translation is a good thing, in general, and only immediately discouraging to one person - the translator who, after one, two, or three years of more or less careful work, sees another, and perhaps superior, version appear as if overnight.

- Lydia Davis

Existence, Another, Careful, Translator

If a translation doesn't have obvious writing problems, it may seem quite all right at first glance. We readers, after all, quickly adapt to the style of a translator, stop noticing it, and get caught up in the story.

- Lydia Davis

Caught, Seem, Quickly, Translator

Often, the idea that there can be a wide range of translations of one text doesn't occur to people - or that a translation could be bad, very bad, and unfaithful to the original.

- Lydia Davis

Original, Very, Wide Range, Unfaithful

Even though I believe a superlative translation can achieve timelessness, that doesn't mean I think other translators shouldn't attempt other versions. The more the better, in the end.

- Lydia Davis

Think, Other, I Think, Translation

All of the little entries in 'The Cows' were written in an irregular way. There might be one or two done one day, and then two weeks might go by or four weeks, and then they were put in an order or sequence.

- Lydia Davis

Cows, Might, Weeks, Two Weeks

My stories are sometimes closer to poems or meditations, but often there is at least a little narrative in them.

- Lydia Davis

Sometimes, Stories, Poems, Meditations

Ordering is difficult. It's like arranging pieces of music in a concert: What do you put first? What do you put after the intermission? I want the reader to be sort of surprised, to come to each story freshly.

- Lydia Davis

Like, Ordering, Reader, Arranging

I do think novels are overlooked. I did write one some years ago that I think is quite good, called 'The End of the Story,' not to blow my own horn.

- Lydia Davis

Think, Some, I Think, Blow

Collections aren't really planned. I just keep writing short pieces until I have enough for a collection.

- Lydia Davis

Enough, Planned, Collection, Collections

I don't pare down much. I write the beginning of a story in a notebook and it comes out very close to what it will be in the end. There is not much deliberateness about it.

- Lydia Davis

Beginning, Very, I Write, Pare

I never dream in French, but certain French words seem better or more fun than English words - like 'pois chiches' for chick peas!

- Lydia Davis

Words, More, Like, Chick

I started writing the one-sentence stories when I was translating 'Swann's Way.' There were two reasons. I had almost no time to do my own writing, but didn't want to stop. And it was a reaction to Proust's very long sentences.

- Lydia Davis

Very, Translating, Reasons, Proust

I wrote the first draft of 'Madame Bovary' without studying the previous translations, although I gathered them and took the occasional peek.

- Lydia Davis

Studying, Took, Previous, Gathered

I think I have a sense right in the beginning of how big an idea it is and how much room it needs, and, almost more importantly, how long it would sustain anybody's interest.

- Lydia Davis

Think, Big, Needs, Sustain

I follow my interests pretty - I don't like the word 'intuitively.' I follow them in a kind of natural way, without questioning them too much.

- Lydia Davis

Natural, Pretty, Like, Intuitively

I first read 'Madame Bovary' in my teens or early twenties.

- Lydia Davis

Read, Twenties, Teens, Madame

I see people sometimes who remind me of my narrators.

- Lydia Davis

Me, Sometimes, See, Remind

I always interrupt work with other work, either in a small way or big way, so that's normal.

- Lydia Davis

Small, Big, Always, Big Way

Of course we may have any number of translations of a given text - the more the better, really.

- Lydia Davis

Better, Number, Given, Translations

I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright teaching. I kind of creep into a classroom. I'm not an anecdote-teller, either, although I often wish I were.

- Lydia Davis

Kind, Teaching, Creep, Classroom

I find teaching - I like it, but I find just walking into the classroom and facing the students very difficult.

- Lydia Davis

Like, Very, Facing, Classroom

I've gotten very alert not just to mixed metaphor but to any writing mistake.

- Lydia Davis

Mistake, Metaphor, Very, Alert

I would recommend, definitely, developing a 'day job' that you like - don't expect to make money writing!

- Lydia Davis

Like, Developing, Recommend, Day Job

If I was writing about an academic or a more difficult person, I would use the Latinate vocabulary more, but I do think Anglo-saxon is the language of emotion.

- Lydia Davis

Think, More, Use, Anglo-Saxon

I do see an interest in writing for Twitter. While publishers still do love the novel and people do still like to sink into one, the very quick form is appealing because of the pace of life.

- Lydia Davis

Love, Very, Still, Twitter

I do see an interest in writing for Twitter.

- Lydia Davis

Writing, See, Interest, Twitter

I don't like to hurt people's feelings, and I don't like to knock other writers as a matter of principle.

- Lydia Davis

Other, Like, Principle, Knock

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.