Susanna Moore Quotes

Powerful Susanna Moore for Daily Growth

About Susanna Moore

Susanna Moore is an American novelist known for her evocative, atmospheric, and psychologically complex narratives. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 14, 1950, Moore's upbringing in the Pacific provided a rich tapestry of influences that would later manifest in her literary works. Moore attended Radcliffe College, where she studied English literature and comparative religion. Her academic background has been instrumental in crafting intricate narratives that delve into both the spiritual and the tangible realms. After graduation, Moore worked as a journalist for various publications, including The New York Times, before fully dedicating herself to writing novels. Moore's literary career took off with her debut novel, "In the Cut" (2003), which was met with critical acclaim and became a best-seller. The novel, set in New York City, explores themes of obsession, violence, and sexuality through its protagonist, a university professor who becomes embroiled in a dangerous relationship. Following the success of "In the Cut," Moore published "Falconer" (2007), another critically acclaimed novel set on the Hawaiian Islands. The book tells the story of a wealthy man who becomes obsessed with a female falconer and their shared passion for birds of prey. Moore's most recent work, "The Mangrove Exercise" (2016), returns to her roots in Hawaii, exploring themes of family, memory, and the mysteries of the past. Throughout her career, Moore has been recognized for her unique storytelling abilities and her ability to create vivid, immersive worlds. Her novels are known for their psychological depth and exploration of human desire, making her a prominent figure in contemporary American literature.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life, like a banquet, is best enjoyed when you take a little of what you love."

This quote suggests that life should be approached with enthusiasm and appreciation for its various aspects. Just as one would savor different dishes at a banquet to fully enjoy the meal, so too should we appreciate diverse experiences in life. The key lies in striking a balance and taking only what brings us joy and fulfillment, making our journey through life richer and more satisfying.


"The present is a realm we inhabit, always fleeting and ephemeral, yet it's also the only time we truly own."

The quote suggests that the "present" is a transient space where we exist, but it holds unique value as it is the only moment in time that we fully possess or control. It emphasizes the impermanence of the present, implying that it constantly changes and eludes us, while also underscoring its importance because it's the only timeframe that directly impacts our experiences and actions. In essence, Moore encourages us to seize and savor each moment in the here and now as it passes quickly and cannot be reclaimed.


"To live in another country is to be always on vacation: the newness never wears off."

This quote suggests that living in a foreign country, where everything is unfamiliar, perpetuates a sense of wonder or vacation-like excitement. The novelty of the surroundings never fades away due to constant exposure to new experiences and cultures, making life an ongoing adventure rather than routine.


"We are all just trying to get through the next moment with as much grace as we can muster."

This quote emphasizes the universal struggle of perseverance in life. It suggests that, at our core, we are all striving to navigate our daily experiences with a measure of elegance and poise - "grace" - amidst challenging circumstances. The "next moment" represents the present, which can often be filled with uncertainty or hardship. By focusing on finding grace in these moments, we demonstrate resilience, empathy, and the ability to adapt and grow in the face of adversity. Essentially, Susanna Moore's quote highlights the human spirit's inherent capacity for strength, perseverance, and grace as we navigate life one moment at a time.


"The heart, like a secret garden, contains its own universe of beauty and mystery."

This quote suggests that, similar to a secret garden, which is hidden, mysterious, yet filled with unique beauty, the human heart harbors an inner world of its own, containing beauty and mystery beyond our immediate understanding or observation. It implies that just as one can find tranquility, wonder, and enchantment in a secret garden, so too does one discover profound emotions, hidden strengths, and undiscovered aspects of oneself within the heart. The quote serves as a reminder to explore, cherish, and appreciate the depths of our own being.


On its 2015 list, the Fish and Wildlife Service included the 'ea, or hawksbill turtle, as well as the green turtle, Ridley sea turtle, leatherback turtle and loggerhead turtle. Four mammals are considered endangered: the Hawaiian hoary bat; the kohola, or humpback whale; the sperm whale; and the endemic Hawaiian monk seal.

- Susanna Moore

Sea, Endangered, Considered, Seal

'Forever Amber,' written by Kathleen Winsor in 1944, was banned in Boston at the time of its publication as obscene and offensive. This alone would have been enough to excite my interest, but in 1956, it was sitting inoffensively on the shelves of the small country library on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, where my family spent its summers.

- Susanna Moore

Small, Boston, Country, Obscene

I was betting on cockfights in the Filipino workers' camps when I was 11.

- Susanna Moore

Betting, Workers, Camps, Filipino

Women are completely disadvantaged - despite what men will say. It is not a fair fight.

- Susanna Moore

Men, Will, Disadvantaged, Women Are

The chance of any species reaching and then surviving on an island as distant as one of the Hawaiian chain is infinitesimal, but despite the extraordinary odds, plants and seeds found their way ashore, carried by the tide or blown by trade winds, inside birds or in their feathers, in the branches of trees and in the jetsam of sunken ships.

- Susanna Moore

Tide, Inside, Reaching, Ships

People will be able to survive, of course, without honeycreepers and monk seals. But if the wolf spider is in trouble, we are in trouble, too.

- Susanna Moore

Wolf, Will, Survive, Seals

Young writers reasonably say, 'I don't know what to write about,' so writing about yourself is a very literal way to begin.

- Susanna Moore

Young, Very, About, Reasonably

When I was 23, I went to work for Jack Nicholson reading scripts. Later, I was married to a production designer named Richard Sylbert. So I lived in Los Angeles for ten years.

- Susanna Moore

Years, Production, Named, Jack

'The Big Girls' has always seemed to me to be a story about different kinds of families - a divorced mother with a child; a father with his child and his girlfriend; a mother of three children, suffering from postpartum depression; and the rigid artificial families maintained by women in prison - all potentially perilous.

- Susanna Moore

Father, Suffering, Big, Divorced

I lived in Calcutta for five months in 1999. While I was there, I read many journals, diaries, collections of letters and histories.

- Susanna Moore

Months, Read, Diaries, Letters

The world of womens' prisons is indeed a microcosm.

- Susanna Moore

World, Microcosm, Indeed, Prisons

As a girl, I sat awestruck at the feet of Harriet Ne, author of 'Tales of Molokai'. It was she who used to say, 'I myself have seen it,' after telling a particularly hair-raising ghost story - a phrase that I borrowed for one of my titles.

- Susanna Moore

Feet, Used, Telling, Harriet

Each year, I await with dread the federal government's catalog of endangered and threatened species in the Hawaiian Islands, where I was raised and where I live.

- Susanna Moore

Year, Endangered, Catalog, Islands

While I was writing 'The Big Girls,' I had to take a big breath each morning and calm myself sufficiently to once again enter that world. But friends tell me that it is the only thing that really interests me. They say that I like to be upset.

- Susanna Moore

Big, Upset, Sufficiently, Each Morning

Transgressive to me means breaking the rules and sinning. I don't see myself as breaking the rules and sinning. I'm really interested in what it means to be female.

- Susanna Moore

Myself, Rules, Means, Sinning

'In the Cut' was not what readers expected of me. Before it was published, I was seen as a women's writer, which meant that I wrote movingly about flowers and children.

- Susanna Moore

Flowers, Meant, Which, Readers

'Calcutta is a pot of honey' means that in the first half of the nineteenth century, before the society became truly Victorian in feeling and tone, Bengal was a place to make money. The governor-generals returned to England rich men. It was a bountiful, lush, prosperous, easy place to make a fortune - in coal, in jute, and particularly cloth.

- Susanna Moore

Tone, Became, Half, Nineteenth

I have to admit that I was very happy to finish 'In the Cut,' and happy not to return to it.

- Susanna Moore

Admit, Very, Cut, Return

When I was nine, I was taught to ride a surfboard in Waikiki by the beach boy Rabbit Kekai.

- Susanna Moore

Beach, Nine, Taught, Rabbit

It is possible to say that all of my books concern themselves with the notion of what it means to be female - whether it is in New York City in 2000 or Calcutta in 1836. In that way, my books really are the same.

- Susanna Moore

City, New, Means, Concern

The history of Hawaii may be seen as a story of arrivals.

- Susanna Moore

History, May, The History Of, Hawaii

The point always is to be writing something - it leads to more writing.

- Susanna Moore

Writing, More, Always, Leads

The task of understanding the past is neverending.

- Susanna Moore

Past, Understanding, Task

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