Stereotypes, they're sensual, cultural weapons. That's the way that we attack people. At an artistic level, stereotypes are terrible writing. Junot Diaz artisticattackcultural Change image and share on social
I'm still trying to figure out how to write about cancer and my family's experience with it. If I had been able to write 'The Pura Principle' back in those days, I'm positive it would have had no humor in it. Which means the story would have been false. Junot Diaz backcancerday share on social
I seem to enjoy telling stories with a central absence, with a lacuna tunnelled into them. Junot Diaz absencecentralenjoy Change image and share on social
Just the fact that you get to live and breathe and interact with the world - that's pretty marvelous. Junot Diaz breathefactinteract Change image and share on social
It wasn't that I couldn't write. I wrote every day. I actually worked really hard at writing. At my desk by 7 A.M., would work a full eight and more. Scribbled at the dinner table, in bed, on the toilet, on the No. 6 train, at Shea Stadium. I did everything I could. But none of it worked. Junot Diaz beddaydesk share on social
I was in fact pretty much - by the larger culture, by the local culture, by people around me, by people on TV - encouraged to imagine women as something slightly inferior to men. Junot Diaz cultureencouragefact Change image and share on social
Migration gives a blank cheque to put anything you don't feel like addressing in the memory hold. No neighbours can go against the monster narrative of your family. Junot Diaz addressblankcheque Change image and share on social
When I think about my own relationships to the women that I really loved, it feels like that love, even after we've broken up and we're no longer speaking, that love never goes away. No one told me that. Junot Diaz breakfelthave share on social
'Drown' was always a hybrid book. It's connected stories - partially a story collection but partially a novel. I always wanted the reader to decide which genre they thought the book belonged to more - story, novel, neither, both. Junot Diaz belongbookcollection share on social
Personally I always feel like I could use a little more of poetry apothegmatic power in my own work but we're always lacking something. Junot Diaz apothegmaticfeellack Change image and share on social