Mary Gordon
Mary Gordon
Mary Catherine Gordonis an American writer and the McIntosh Professor of English at Barnard College. She is best known for her novels, memoirs and literary criticism...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth8 December 1949
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
belonged courage gave graduate group move poetry school women
It was actually a women's writing group I belonged to in graduate school that gave me the courage to move from poetry to fiction.
among discuss educate good high school students themselves
High school students discuss this among themselves and this was a good way to educate them.
board change policy school utterly wants
The change that Mr. Barnard wants to make in the school board policy is utterly ridiculous.
early folk knows life national nobody shower sing singer strictly
In my early life, I was a professional folk singer. I used to sing on the national television and radio in Canada. Nobody knows that - but now I've said it, haven't I? I'm strictly a shower singer at the minute.
air alive became children grew house object vivid
Once the children were in the house the air became more vivid and more heated; every object in the house grew more alive
claiming feminism feminists public though women
Feminism is very much a part of a lot of my student's lives, but they're not going to march about it or take a public political stance. And I think more and more young women are claiming that they're not feminists - even though they are.
lose seems turned
Everything that turned out well for me seems like a fluke. I feel like, at any moment, I could lose everything and be working at Dunkin' Donuts.
books came coal great job joy largely life mine tramp worked
I don't have any great first job tales: I've never worked on a tramp steamer or in a coal mine or anything like that. I think the inspiration for my writing came largely from my father and the joy that life in books represented to me.
life
My life is so much better than I thought it was going to be.
american-writer cares genuinely guarantees relationship sexually
One should never be sexually involved with anyone one genuinely cares for. A sexual relationship guarantees a loss.
believe life primary
I believe that if your primary motivation in life is to be moral, you don't become an artist.
agenda canon common dogma influenced perspective seems somehow
'Catholic writer' seems like you have an agenda of evangelization, as if you were somehow influenced in your choice of perspective by dogma or canon law. That has nothing to do with me. I don't have a lot in common with other 'Catholic' writers.
adore broadway dancing love wish
I love dancing; I adore salsa dancing and wish I could be in a Broadway chorus.
died guess metaphor quite
My father died when I was seven. I guess I am interested in fatherlessness as a metaphor for vulnerability and unprotectedness. Being on your own in the world in a way you're not quite ready for, ever.