...Baltimore. It's imperfect. Boy, is it imperfect. And there are parts of its past that make you wince. It's not all marble steps and waitresses calling you 'hon, ' you know. Racial strife in the sixties, the riots during the Civil War. F. Scott Fitzgerald said it was civilized and gay, rotted and polite. The terms are slightly anachronistic now, but I think he was essentially right. Laura Lippman
About This Quote

F. Scott Fitzgerald first used this phrase in "The Crack-Up" to describe the detritus of his life. He was not only describing the city of Baltimore, but also his own life. From his upbringing, to college, to his career as a writer, there were many instances throughout Fitzgerald's life where he struggled with the good and the bad of Baltimore. His most famous novel, "The Great Gatsby" was all about how he felt like he had outgrown his hometown and wanted to move away.

Source: Hardly Knew Her

Some Similar Quotes
  1. I just don't see why the past has to matter. - Cassandra Clare
  2. Do you think we can be friends?” I asked. He stared up at the ceiling. “Probably not, but we can pretend. - Priya Ardis
  3. Vane grabbed me. “DuLac, let’s chat.” British-speak for “Stand still while I yell at you. - Priya Ardis
  4. For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. <span style="margin:15px; display:block"></span>Not like hermits who... - Hermann Hesse
  5. Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny. - Steve Maraboli
More Quotes By Laura Lippman
  1. It must be nice to be so strong and to think it's because you're so good, that you live right and eat right, so you deserve your health and happiness. But there is such a thing as luck, and there's more bad luck than good...
  2. Reading was not a fallback position for her but an ideal state of being.
  3. The past was worth remembering and knowing in its own right. It was not behind us, never truly behind us, but under us, holding us up, a foundation for all that was to come and everything that had ever been.
  4. ...Baltimore. It's imperfect. Boy, is it imperfect. And there are parts of its past that make you wince. It's not all marble steps and waitresses calling you 'hon, ' you know. Racial strife in the sixties, the riots during the Civil War. F. Scott Fitzgerald...
  5. It was as if his fingers knew things, but they couldn't show him unless they were moving, touching. He had to think it was similar for carpenters and writers, and he knew it was the same for chefs.
Related Topics