JF

Janet Flanner

27quotes

Full Name and Common Aliases


Janet Flanner was born Helen Jerome Ehrlich on May 13, 1892, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was also known as Genêt.

Birth and Death Dates


May 13, 1892 - November 7, 1978

Nationality and Profession(s)


American journalist, poet, and correspondent for _The New Yorker_

Early Life and Background


Janet Flanner grew up in a family of modest means. Her mother was a schoolteacher, and her father worked as an engineer. She showed early promise as a writer, publishing poetry in local newspapers during her teenage years. In 1915, she moved to Paris to pursue a career in writing and to escape the social constraints of her small-town upbringing.

Major Accomplishments


Flanner became one of the most prominent American expatriate writers of her generation. As a correspondent for _The New Yorker_, she reported on European politics and culture from 1925 until 1971, filing over 800 dispatches under the byline "Genêt." Her coverage of World War I and the rise of fascism helped shape public opinion in America. Flanner was also an accomplished poet, publishing several collections throughout her career.

Notable Works or Actions


Flanner's writing often explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Her poetry is characterized by its lyricism and emotional depth. As a correspondent, she developed close relationships with prominent figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Colette. Flanner's experiences during World War I, including her observations of trench warfare, influenced her writing for years to come.

Impact and Legacy


Janet Flanner's contributions to journalism and literature are immeasurable. Her reports from Europe provided a unique perspective on global events, influencing the way Americans thought about politics and culture. Flanner's own poetry continues to be celebrated for its beauty and emotional resonance. As one of the first female correspondents in _The New Yorker_'s history, she paved the way for future generations of women journalists.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Janet Flanner is widely quoted or remembered due to her groundbreaking work as a correspondent and poet. Her dispatches from Europe offer a window into one of the most tumultuous periods in modern history. As a pioneering figure in journalism, she broke down barriers for women writers and helped shape the way Americans engaged with global events.

Quotes by Janet Flanner

By jove, no wonder women don't love war nor understand it, nor can operate in it as a rule; it takes a man to suffer what other men have invented.
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By jove, no wonder women don't love war nor understand it, nor can operate in it as a rule; it takes a man to suffer what other men have invented.
JF
I’m fond of anything that comes from the sea, and that includes sailors.
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I’m fond of anything that comes from the sea, and that includes sailors.
JF
I keep going over a sentence. I nag it, gnaw it, pat and flatter it.
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I keep going over a sentence. I nag it, gnaw it, pat and flatter it.
JF
#nagging
Never have nights been more beautiful than these nights of anxiety. In the sky have been shining in trinity the moon, Venus and Mars. Nature has been more splendid than man.
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Never have nights been more beautiful than these nights of anxiety. In the sky have been shining in trinity the moon, Venus and Mars. Nature has been more splendid than man.
JF
#loss
Genius is immediate, but talent takes time.
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Genius is immediate, but talent takes time.
JF
#take-time
The older women were Sunbeams and I guess we were Cherubs or Lambs, but our mothers were Nightingales.
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The older women were Sunbeams and I guess we were Cherubs or Lambs, but our mothers were Nightingales.
JF
#acceptance
When you look at the startling ruins of Nuremberg, you are looking at a result of the war. When you look at the prisoners on view in the courthouse, you are looking at 22 of the causes.
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When you look at the startling ruins of Nuremberg, you are looking at a result of the war. When you look at the prisoners on view in the courthouse, you are looking at 22 of the causes.
JF
#views
... people who don't want something are less likely to get it than people who do want something.
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... people who don't want something are less likely to get it than people who do want something.
JF
#want-something
[On World War II:] The war, which destroyed so much of everything, was also constructive, in a way. It established clearly the cold, and finally unhypocritical fact that the most important thing on earth to men today is money.
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[On World War II:] The war, which destroyed so much of everything, was also constructive, in a way. It established clearly the cold, and finally unhypocritical fact that the most important thing on earth to men today is money.
JF
#money
Isadore [Duncan], who had an un-American genius for art, for organizing love, maternity, politics and pedagogy on a great personal scale, had also an un-American genius for grandeur.
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Isadore [Duncan], who had an un-American genius for art, for organizing love, maternity, politics and pedagogy on a great personal scale, had also an un-American genius for grandeur.
JF
#art
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