Maggie Shipstead


Full Name and Common Aliases


Maggie Shipstead is an American novelist and short story writer.

Birth and Death Dates


Born on October 2, 1983, in San Francisco, California. Still alive as of my knowledge cutoff.

Nationality and Profession(s)


American Novelist and Short Story Writer

Early Life and Background


Maggie Shipstead grew up in a family that valued literature and the arts. Her parents were both involved in creative pursuits - her father was an engineer and an avid reader, while her mother was a writer and editor. This background likely influenced Shipstead's early interest in writing.

Shipstead attended Stanford University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English. After graduating from college, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in writing. However, she eventually relocated to Michigan, where she wrote much of her first novel.

Major Accomplishments


Maggie Shipstead's debut novel, Seating Arrangements, was published in 2012 and received widespread critical acclaim. The novel tells the story of a dysfunctional family and their struggles with identity, class, and relationships. It won the Dylan Thomas Prize and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Shipstead's subsequent novels have also been well-received by critics and readers alike. Assistance (2015) explores themes of love, friendship, and the complexities of human relationships. Her latest novel, Great Circle, a sweeping epic that spans decades and continents, was published in 2021.

Notable Works or Actions


Some of Shipstead's notable works include:

Seating Arrangements (2012)
Assistance (2015)
* Great Circle (2021)

Shipstead has also been recognized for her work with several awards and nominations, including the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Man Booker Prize.

Impact and Legacy


Maggie Shipstead's writing has had a significant impact on readers and writers alike. Her unique voice and perspective have contributed to the literary landscape, offering fresh insights into human relationships, class, and identity.

Shipstead's work has also been praised for its nuanced exploration of complex themes, which resonates with readers seeking thought-provoking fiction. As a result, she is widely regarded as one of the most exciting young writers of her generation.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Maggie Shipstead's quotes are often cited due to their insight and wit into human relationships, class, and identity. Her thoughtful observations on life and literature have made her a sought-after voice in literary circles.

Shipstead is widely remembered for her unique perspective and her ability to craft compelling narratives that explore the complexities of human experience.

Quotes by Maggie Shipstead

How strange it was that a dream, once realized, could quickly turn mundane.
"
How strange it was that a dream, once realized, could quickly turn mundane.
Female friendship was one-tenth prevention and nine-tenths cleanup.
"
Female friendship was one-tenth prevention and nine-tenths cleanup.
Her throat is tight with fear. She is afraid of how this man, this stranger, has already changed the sensation of being alive. She is afraid he will slip away.
"
Her throat is tight with fear. She is afraid of how this man, this stranger, has already changed the sensation of being alive. She is afraid he will slip away.
She had seen too many movies; she did not understand that love was a choice, entered and exited by free will and with careful consideration, not a random thunderbolt sent from above.
"
She had seen too many movies; she did not understand that love was a choice, entered and exited by free will and with careful consideration, not a random thunderbolt sent from above.
When they are alone, lying quietly, he holds her the way a child holds a stuffed animal: for comfort, for security, out of a primate’s urge to cling, to close one’s arms around a warm, soft object.
"
When they are alone, lying quietly, he holds her the way a child holds a stuffed animal: for comfort, for security, out of a primate’s urge to cling, to close one’s arms around a warm, soft object.
...the freeway looks like a ruby bracelet stretched alongside a diamond one, looks like a rive of lava flowing counter to a river of champagne bubbles.[Hadley Baxter]
"
...the freeway looks like a ruby bracelet stretched alongside a diamond one, looks like a rive of lava flowing counter to a river of champagne bubbles.[Hadley Baxter]
But their truce, their wary tenderness, began to give way as winter thawed: the inevitable collapse of goodwill between two people with intertwined yet irreconcilable wishes.
"
But their truce, their wary tenderness, began to give way as winter thawed: the inevitable collapse of goodwill between two people with intertwined yet irreconcilable wishes.
This was truly advanced WASP: how to comfort a wronged wife and mother without acknowledging any misdeeds done or embarrassment caused by loved ones.
"
This was truly advanced WASP: how to comfort a wronged wife and mother without acknowledging any misdeeds done or embarrassment caused by loved ones.
The world unfurls and unfurls, and there is always more. A line, a circle, is insufficient. I look forward, and there is the horizon. I look back. Horizon. What's past is lost. I am already lost to my future.[Marian Graves]
"
The world unfurls and unfurls, and there is always more. A line, a circle, is insufficient. I look forward, and there is the horizon. I look back. Horizon. What's past is lost. I am already lost to my future.[Marian Graves]
We think each new romantic prospect, each new lover, is a fresh start, but really we're just tacking into the wind, each new trajectory determined by the last, plotting a jagged yet unbroken line of reactions through our lives.[Hadley Baxter]
"
We think each new romantic prospect, each new lover, is a fresh start, but really we're just tacking into the wind, each new trajectory determined by the last, plotting a jagged yet unbroken line of reactions through our lives.[Hadley Baxter]
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