I read a lot of books about psychopaths. I read a wonderful book Amy Hempel gave me about the guy who created criminal profiling - a fascinating book, 'Mind Hunter.' Mona Simpson amybookcreate Change image and share on social
I'm a believer in using whatever works for fiction, but mostly, that's not life. Mona Simpson believerfictionlife Change image and share on social
I felt like any other American kid. I already worked at a steady job as an ice cream scooper, but I didn't feel less in any way than my more affluent friends from school. Mona Simpson affluentamericancream Change image and share on social
We're all looking for an authentic way to be engaged in the community, engaged in politics, engaged in national discussion - and so, we're clunky. We're all clunky. But it's better than not doing it. Mona Simpson authenticclunkycommunity Change image and share on social
Instead of a dedicated room, my best trigger is the actual habit of reading over the texts from the day before. Marking. Changing. Fussing. This ritual amounts to a habit of trust. Trust that I can make it better. That if I keep trying, I will come closer to something true. Mona Simpson actualamountchange share on social
Often, I think, displaced people imagine themselves leading double lives. So a portion of my identity has always been privately siphoned into what would have been if I had stayed in Wisconsin. Mona Simpson displacedoubleidentity Change image and share on social
We go to college, live together or marry, and have kids - often with little more thought to the daily routines of raising children than our grandparents gave them, when women by and large stayed at home. Mona Simpson childcollegedaily share on social
Once upon a time, my mother lived in the posh downtown of Homs, Syria. She described my grandfather as a king in a storybook, atop a horse, wearing a didashah and pointing a long arm. Mona Simpson armatopdidashah Change image and share on social
I'm a simple cook, and there's a lot I don't eat. But food is important. It translates so easily into pleasure. Mona Simpson cookeasilyeat Change image and share on social
I've never felt powerful enough to write a true political novel, or deeply knowledgeable enough to draw a character like, say, Tolstoy's Prince Kutuzov. Mona Simpson characterdeeplydraw Change image and share on social