WK
Wayne Koestenbaum
16quotes
Wayne Koestenbaum: A Life of Words
Full Name and Common Aliases
Wayne Koestenbaum is an American poet, novelist, critic, and scholar. He is also a professor at the University of South Florida.
Birth and Death Dates
Born in 1958, Koestenbaum's life has been marked by a prolific career in literature and academia.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Koestenbaum holds American nationality and works as a poet, novelist, critic, and scholar. He is also an accomplished teacher and professor at the University of South Florida.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in New York City, Koestenbaum was exposed to the vibrant cultural scene that would later inspire his work. His early life laid the groundwork for his future as a poet and critic, with experiences ranging from reading widely to being part of the city's thriving arts community.
Major Accomplishments
Koestenbaum has achieved significant success in multiple areas of his career. He is best known for his poetry collections that often blend elements of literary criticism and personal narrative. His work frequently explores themes of identity, desire, and the intersection of art and life.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Koestenbaum's most notable works include "The Queen's Throat: Opera, Homosexuality, and the Desire of Signs," a groundbreaking book that examines opera as a symbol of gay culture. His poetry collections, such as "Model Behavior" and "My 1980s & Other Poems," showcase his ability to balance personal narrative with literary critique.
Impact and Legacy
Koestenbaum's influence can be seen in several areas. As a poet, he has helped shape the landscape of contemporary American poetry by pushing boundaries between form and content. His work often challenges readers to question the relationship between art and life, contributing to ongoing discussions about the role of literature in society.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Koestenbaum's quotes are often sought after because they provide insight into his unique perspective on art, identity, and culture. His ability to blend personal narrative with literary critique makes him a fascinating figure, offering readers new ways to think about the role of literature in society. As both a poet and critic, Koestenbaum continues to inspire discussions about the intersection of art and life.
Koestenbaum's legacy is one of innovation and exploration. Through his work, he has helped pave the way for future generations of poets and scholars who seek to challenge conventions and push boundaries in their own writing.
Quotes by Wayne Koestenbaum
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I mention Jackie mostly because I want to be assured that I inhabit the same universe as other people; that I am not alone on a distant shore. Jackie glues me to this world – most effectively when I can find a way to mention her name or her attributes, when I can find a pretext, however frail, to introduce her into a conversation, even at the risk of non sequitur, bathos, or incoherence.
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She would tell me parts of her story, but they never added up, and, intoxicated, I probed no further. I was grateful that Moira Orfei was endless, and that she never told me the true story of her difficult life.
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The solitary operatic feast, the banquet for one, onanism through the ear: taking an evening out of my life to listen to Simon Boccanegra, I feel I am locked in the bathroom eating a quart of ice cream, that I have lost all my friends, that I am committing some violently antisocial act, like wearing lipstick to school.
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How frequently do you look in the mirror? Does your face please you? Are you disgusted to detect familial features? Do you worship or hate your ancestors? Do you consider your image erotic? Do you pretend that you are a star’s child? If you squint, does your reflection become abstract? Is abstraction a transcendental escape from identity or a psychotic spasm of depersonalization?
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I was not thinking about the world. I was not thinking about history. I was thinking about my body’s small, precise, limited, hungry movement forward into the future that seemed at every instant on the verge of being shut down.
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I mention Jackie mostly because I want to be assured that I inhabit the same universe as other people; that I am not alone on a distant shore. Jackie glues me to this world—most effectively when I can find a way to mention her name or her attributes, when I can find a pretext, however frail, to introduce her into a conversation, even at the risk of non sequitur, bathos, or incoherence.
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Yes to fingerfucking the dialectic! Or to using the dialectic as a method of fingerfucking the binary!
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Half the urge to write is the premonition that later the thought I am having might disappear so I had better write it down while I still have the inclination, however overshadowed this desire is by indolence.
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