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Paul Beatty Quotes

11 Paul Beatty Quotes On Life & More

Famous As: Novelist, Poet

Born On: June 9, 1962

Born In: Los Angeles, California, United States

Paul Beatty is a renowned author and the first American to be honored with the ‘Man Booker Prize’. He was inclined towards writing from an early age and went on to pursue a course in creative writing from the Brooklyn College. He got a kick-start to his career by winning the ‘Poetry Slam Championship’ which helped him publish his poetry volume titled ‘Big Bank Take Little Bank’. This gave him instant fame and he started performing his poetry on various renowned channels while publishing his second poetry book called ‘Joker, Joker, Deuce’. He further came up with his debut novel titled ‘The White Boy Shuffle’ which was critically appreciated and became the first notable book of his career. He also wrote various novels to nourish his reputation as a writer before writing his most notable book of his life titled ‘The Sellout’. This book turned out to be a best-seller and brought him various distinguished awards including the renowned ‘Man Booker Prize’ and ‘International Dublin Literary Award’. He continues to fascinate the world with his novels, thoughts, work, poetry and writings which justify his prominence in the literary world. We have curated his quotes from his writings, speeches and life. Take a look at the most famous quotations and sayings by Paul Beatty.

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Writers

Poets

If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door.

If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door.
I
Paul Beatty

Hereos. Idols. They're never who you think they are. Shorter. Nastier. Smellier. And when you finally meet them, there's something that makes you want to choke the shit out of them.

Hereos. Idols. They're never who you think they are. Shorter. Nastier. Smellier. And when you finally meet them, there's something that makes you want to choke the shit out of them.
You Think Never
Paul Beatty

Man, didn't anybody ever tell you that art is propaganda? It doesn't matter whether you think it should be or it shouldn't be, it just is, and motherfucker, like or not, you're sitting on a funky Magna Carta.

Man, didn't anybody ever tell you that art is propaganda? It doesn't matter whether you think it should be or it shouldn't be, it just is, and motherfucker, like or not, you're sitting on a funky Magna Carta.
You Think Like Art
Paul Beatty

Because I knew that racist Negro Archetypes, like Bebe’s Kids, don’t die. They multiply.

Because I knew that racist Negro Archetypes, like Bebe’s Kids, don’t die. They multiply.
Like I
Paul Beatty

If New York is the City That Never Sleeps, then Los Angeles is the City That’s Always Passed Out on the Couch.

If New York is the City That Never Sleeps, then Los Angeles is the City That’s Always Passed Out on the Couch.
Never
Paul Beatty

They say a cigarette takes three minutes off your life, but good hashish makes dying seem so far away.

They say a cigarette takes three minutes off your life, but good hashish makes dying seem so far away.
Life
Paul Beatty

One’s self-worth comes from how one chooses to navigate that space.

One’s self-worth comes from how one chooses to navigate that space.
Paul Beatty

Like the good Reverend King
I too 'have a dream'
but when I wake up
I forget it and
remember I'm running late for work.

Like the good Reverend King I too 'have a dream' but when I wake up I forget it and remember I'm running late for work.
Like I
Paul Beatty

[T]he Supreme Court is where the country takes out its dick and tits and decides who's going to get fucked and who's getting a taste of mother's milk. It's constitutional pornography in there[.]

[T]he Supreme Court is where the country takes out its dick and tits and decides who's going to get fucked and who's getting a taste of mother's milk. It's constitutional pornography in there[.]
Paul Beatty