29 Quotes by David Lipsky

My ambition is to not embarrass myself--which, if you know me, is a pretty serious ambition.

I always fear that when I really impose my will on something, the universe is gonna punish me.

I wanted to earn a living wage and to see something nice about me in the 'New York Times.' I wanted my mother to be proud. I wanted all the things you want and also feel silly for wanting. I wanted readers to say they'd enjoyed something of mine - to see my photo in magazines where I'd seen photos of other writers.

I know people who are medicated and it's their favorite subject.

And I think that the ultimate way you and I get lucky is if you have some success early in life, you get to find out early it doesn’t mean anything. Which means you get to start early the work of figuring out what does mean something – David Foster Wallace.

My ambition is to not embarrass myself – which, if you know me, is a pretty serious ambition.

I think what we need is seriously engaged art, that can teach again that we’re smart. And that there’s stuff that TV and movies – although they’re great at certain things – cannot give us.

The way to finish the book is to turn down the volume on the stuff that’s all about how other people react.

I’m talking about the number of privileged, highly intelligent, motivated career-track people that I know, from my high school or college, who are, if you look into their eyes, empty and miserable.