Raymond Federman
Raymond Federman
Full Name and Common Aliases
Raymond Federman was born on December 15, 1928, in Luxembourg, during the Nazi occupation of the country. He later became a French-American writer, known for his experimental fiction and poetry.
Birth and Death Dates
December 15, 1928 – July 6, 2009
Nationality and Profession(s)
Federman held dual citizenship in France and the United States, and he worked as a novelist, essayist, poet, and professor of English literature. His writing often blended elements of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Luxembourg during World War II had a profound impact on Federman's life and work. He experienced the trauma of war firsthand, witnessing the devastation and loss that occurred under Nazi occupation. After the war, he moved to France with his family, where he developed an interest in writing and literature.
Major Accomplishments
Federman is perhaps best known for his novel _The Twofold Vibration_ (1975), which explores themes of identity, language, and reality. He also published several collections of poetry, including _A Body of Irony_ (1981) and _The Swimming Inland Sea_ (1993). As a professor, Federman taught at various universities in the United States and abroad.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to his writing, Federman was involved in several notable projects. He translated French literature into English, including works by authors such as André Breton and Samuel Beckett. Federman also contributed essays and reviews to literary journals and publications.
Impact and Legacy
Federman's innovative approach to language and narrative has influenced a range of writers working in the experimental tradition. His work often blurs the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction, creating new forms that challenge readers' expectations. Through his writing and teaching, Federman has had a lasting impact on the literary landscape.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Federman's unique blend of literary innovation and personal experience continues to draw readers in. His work offers a powerful exploration of identity, language, and reality, which resonates with audiences today. As a writer who pushed the boundaries of form and content, Federman has left an indelible mark on contemporary literature.
As a writer who defied easy categorization, Federman's work continues to inspire new generations of writers and readers alike. His commitment to experimentation and innovation has made him one of the most important figures in postmodern American writing.
Quotes by Raymond Federman
What the hell, it always rains in sad love stories. And in happy ones too. Must be a reason, though perhaps not necessarily metaphysical.
Incredible the mass labor of the fat ugly masturbators of the 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION! Wow have I seen gallons and gallons of sperm spilled, wasted, in the nights of North Carolina, and tons and tons of sheets stained, yellowed by the juice of these guys of the 82nd! Kilos and kilos! Piles and piles! Truckloads and truckloads of sheets full of vicious and doubtful traces and circles.
And so, for me, the only fiction that still means something today is the kind of fiction that tries to explore the possibilities of fiction beyond its own limitations; the kind of fiction that challenges the tradition that governs it; the kind of fiction that constantly renews our faith in man’s intelligence and imagination rather than man’s distorted view of reality; the kind of fiction that reveals man’s playful irrationality rather than his righteous rationality.
You’re smiling. But you must know yourself, since you are a literary person, that the work of fiction is always a form of recovery of the past, even if that past has to be falsified to seem real. The act of recalling the past in what we write doesn’t mean knowing the way it really was, but rather becoming the master of memories as they burn in the perilous instant of creation.
Because you see darling, darling, there are no false questions. All questions in life are true questions. Answers may be false, but questions cannot be false. Sure,they can be dumb, they can be stupid, but never false.
And so we must dig in to see where raw words and fundamental sounds are buried so that the great silence within can finally be decoded.
To commit the act of felo-de-se is a form of delusion. You see, my love, to leave one's life unfinished implies the possibility of success. What is left unlived may contain the potential truth one always seeks. Those who kill themselves do so with the conviction that they would have reached that truth eventually had they lived to the proper end. They die in the illusion of hope which in a way keeps the rest of us alive. Reason, therefore, for not committing suicide.