[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fw1wema6xoZkrtrLpEhO9HIA7G5Iq__1BZ75vn0zS-gI":3,"$fzbuLzjvQKSkRNBuWQbcXrkaqapv_uhTf6dhaWYtt3pg":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},48273,"Akhil Sharma","A",56,null,"akhil-sharma",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":82},[14,23,30,36,44,50,56,62,68,74],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":22},3530945,"I think that books are fundamentally educational.",7,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\n\nThis quote is likely from an interview or a lecture given by Akhil Sharma, an Indian-American author known for his poignant and nuanced portrayals of the immigrant experience. The sentiment resonates with Sharma's own life story, growing up in New Jersey as the child of immigrants who struggled to find their place in America. As someone who has written extensively about the complexities of identity and belonging, Sharma's perspective on the educational value of books reflects his deep understanding of the transformative power of literature.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nWhile the quote may seem straightforward, its hidden insight lies in the way it subverts traditional notions of education. By emphasizing that books are fundamentally educational, Sharma is not simply advocating for reading as a means to acquire knowledge; he's suggesting that books have the ability to educate us about ourselves and our place in the world. This subtlety highlights the tension between external learning (acquiring facts and skills) and internal understanding (developing empathy, self-awareness, and critical thinking).\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nIn today's fast-paced, tech-driven world, where information is readily available but often superficial, Sharma's quote reminds us that true education comes from engaging with books that challenge our assumptions and force us to confront our own biases. To apply this mindset, take time to read literature that pushes you out of your comfort zone, whether it's a novel that explores a culture different from your own or a memoir that recounts a traumatic experience, allowing you to gain empathy and understanding through the author's narrative voice.",{"id":24,"quote_text":25,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":26,"source":27,"quote_tag":28,"commentary":29},3530920,"When someone gets a success, and we, too, have done good work and sometimes even better work than the person who has just triumphed, we wonder: 'Why did success pass me by?'",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis poignant observation is from Akhil Sharma's semi-autobiographical novel, \"Family Life\" (2008), which explores the struggles of his own family's immigration experience and the author's early life in America. The quote reflects his introspection on the nature of success and recognition.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe counter-intuitive truth lies in the author's acknowledgment that even when one has done better work than someone else who achieves success, they still feel overlooked. This reveals a deeper human tendency to tie self-worth directly to external validation, rather than internal fulfillment.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, recognize and challenge the subtle yet pervasive influence of external validation on your sense of accomplishment. Focus on cultivating an intrinsic motivation for producing meaningful work, allowing you to derive satisfaction regardless of whether others acknowledge it.",{"id":31,"quote_text":32,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":33,"source":34,"quote_tag":35,"commentary":9},3530904,"I know how to write fiction well.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":37,"quote_text":38,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":18,"author":40,"source":41,"quote_tag":42,"commentary":43},2827350,"Books were things not as complicated and unsatisfying as real life.",6,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nAkhil Sharma's quote \"Books were things not as complicated and unsatisfying as real life\" likely stems from his experiences growing up in a traditional Indian family in the United States, where he struggled with identity and belonging. As evident in his memoir \"Family Life,\" Sharma grapples with the complexities of his own life, often finding solace in literature. This sentiment may have been particularly poignant during his teenage years, marked by feelings of isolation and disconnection.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nOn a surface level, this quote might suggest that books provide an escape from the difficulties of real life. However, upon closer examination, it reveals a profound insight: Sharma is highlighting the inherent dissatisfaction with reality as it stands, rather than its depiction in literature. This paradox suggests that our lives are often more complicated and unsatisfying than we imagine them to be, and that this perceived inadequacy can drive us to seek meaning through storytelling.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, consider the value of literary fiction not just as an escape from reality but also as a means of confronting its complexities head-on. By acknowledging the dissatisfaction inherent in our lives, we can harness this energy to create more authentic and meaningful art, whether through writing, art, or other creative pursuits.",{"id":45,"quote_text":46,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":18,"author":47,"source":48,"quote_tag":49,"commentary":9},2827347,"I felt sad, happy, content.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":51,"quote_text":52,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":18,"author":53,"source":54,"quote_tag":55,"commentary":9},2827343,"Novels should be judged rigorously. Either a book works or it doesn’t. The fact that something is true in the real world should not lend authority to it in fiction.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":57,"quote_text":58,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":18,"author":59,"source":60,"quote_tag":61,"commentary":9},2827342,"I need to tell the things that are important but which don’t make sense in terms of the narrative, things that would destroy symmetry or narrative pace. This is my personal belief about what it means to write nonfiction.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":63,"quote_text":64,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":18,"author":65,"source":66,"quote_tag":67,"commentary":9},2827329,"I can’t have composite characters. I can’t attribute dialogue to someone based simply on my memory and not based on notes taken at the time that the words were spoken.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":69,"quote_text":70,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":18,"author":71,"source":72,"quote_tag":73,"commentary":9},2827318,"I used to think my father had been assigned to us by the government.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":75,"quote_text":76,"author_id":5,"source_id":39,"has_image":77,"author":78,"source":79,"quote_tag":80,"commentary":81},2827309,"Vanishing into books, I felt held.",true,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\n\nAkhil Sharma's \"Vanishing into books, I felt held\" is a poignant reflection from his semi-autobiographical novel \"Family Life\". The quote encapsulates the author's experience as a child growing up in India and later moving to the United States, grappling with feelings of isolation and disconnection. This sentiment echoes through various stages of Sharma's life, reflecting on the struggle for belonging amidst cultural displacement.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nOn the surface, this quote appears to be about escapism or an affinity for literature as a coping mechanism. However, upon closer examination, it reveals a complex interplay between solitude and security. Sharma suggests that disappearing into books offered him a sense of safety and comfort, paradoxically providing a feeling of being held or supported despite his outward experience of loneliness.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nIn today's fast-paced professional landscape, this quote can be translated into an actionable strategy for creatives and high-achievers: Instead of seeking external validation or constant social interaction, acknowledge the value of quiet time spent with one's thoughts. Regularly immerse yourself in books, creative pursuits, or solo activities that allow you to 'vanish' and find solace within your own mental sanctuary.",{"currentPage":83,"totalPages":39,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":84},1,10]