Sadness was something I was thinking about in my life outside of writing, so it wormed itself into whatever I wrote. Elizabeth McCracken lifesadnessthink Change image and share on social
My mother's family didn't speak much about Europe: My mother was born in 1935, and her new-world parents were the sort who didn't want to worry their children about the war. Elizabeth McCracken bearchildeurope Change image and share on social
I have been the person who tries to keep conversation light while talking to someone whose heart has been smashed. Elizabeth McCracken conversationheartlight Change image and share on social
An iron lung looks like an enormous metal coffin or a 19th-century rocket ship: only its occupant's head is left outside, a tight seal around the neck. Elizabeth McCracken 19thcenturycoffin Change image and share on social
There was a time in my life when I wasn't sure I'd ever write a short story again because I had started writing novels, and I am fundamentally a lazy person, and the fact is that a novel is a lazy person's form, really. That is, you can amble; you can digress. Elizabeth McCracken ambledigressfact share on social
I have a memory of my fourth-grade self wanting to be the first woman president of the United States, but I think that has a lot more to do with my love of world records and reference books than a love of serving my country. Elizabeth McCracken bookcountryfourth share on social
In the last century, I earned my living as a librarian, and I loved it. I'd have to take some classes to get up to speed with 21st-century librarianship. Elizabeth McCracken 21stcenturyclass Change image and share on social
For about half an hour in mid-1992, I knew as much as any layperson about the pleasures of remote access of other people's computers. Elizabeth McCracken accesscomputerhalf Change image and share on social
Acknowledgment of grief - well, it makes feeling the grief easier, not harder. Elizabeth McCracken acknowledgmenteasyfelt Change image and share on social
When it comes to other people's writing, my older influences are more powerful than more recent ones, partially because I'm now more worried that I'll suddenly accidentally steal something from another writer. Elizabeth McCracken accidentallyinfluenceold share on social
