When I was in high school in Los Angeles, my mother, who was a speech therapist, agreed to stay over the weekend with one of her clients and his little sister while the parents went away on vacation. She brought me along. Mona Simpson agreeangelesbring 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
The first person besides my mother who believed in me was a man whose last name I never knew. He was my boss, the manager of Swenson's Ice Cream shop. Mona Simpson believeboscream Change image and share on social
My first job was to run a concessions cart. Later, I found a position at the Pacific Film Archive. Thus began a long series of jobs, each one slightly better than the last, that continued for a decade, until I sold my first novel, and still goes on, even now. Mona Simpson archivebegincart share on social
The lawyer refused to tell me my brother's name, and my colleagues started a betting pool. The leading candidate: John Travolta. I secretly hoped for a literary descendant of Henry James - someone more talented than I: someone brilliant without even trying. Mona Simpson betbrilliantbrother 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
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 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
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
Even more than we want good love for ourselves, we want it for our children, those vulnerable satellites of our hearts that we send, unsteady, into the world. Mona Simpson childgoodheart Change image and share on social
