WIST Quotations

Saroyan, William -- Chance Meetings (1978)

Dave — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:41:03 +0000

The people you hate, well, this is the question about such people: why do you hate them?

William Saroyan (1908-1981) American writer
Chance Meetings (1978)

Saroyan, William -- New York Mirror (10 Jun 1960)

Dave — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:19:09 +0000

One of us is obviously mistaken.

William Saroyan (1908-1981) American writer
New York Mirror (10 Jun 1960)

Response to a critic who had panned his latest play.

Saroyan, William -- The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze and Other Stories, Preface (1934)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep really to sleep. Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough.

William Saroyan (1908-1981) American writer
The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze and Other Stories, Preface (1934)
(Source)

Advice to writers.

Saroyan, William -- The Resurrection of a Life (1935)

Dave — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:32:17 +0000

Every man in the world is better than someone else and not as good as someone else.

William Saroyan (1908-1981) American writer
The Resurrection of a Life (1935)

Saroyan, William -- Interview with the Associated Press (16 Apr 1981)

Dave — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 20:07:38 +0000

Everybody has to die, but I always believed an exception would be made in my case. Now what?

William Saroyan (1908-1981) American writer
Interview with the Associated Press (16 Apr 1981)
(Source)

Saroyan called the AP five days before his collapse and subsequent death from cancer. The statement was intended to be released after his demise. The last two words are usually omitted.