"When my son was born, and after a day of lying-in I was told that I could leave the hospital and take him home, I burst into tears. It wasn't the emotion of the moment: it was shock and horror."

Architecture

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Insight & Reflection

This reflection on architecture by Susan Orlean resonates across generations. It highlights a fundamental truth about human nature: our continuous search for meaning in architecture is what ultimately defines our character and our path forward.

About Susan Orlean

Susan Orlean is an American journalist, television writer, and bestselling author of The Orchid Thief and The Library Book. She has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1992, and has contributed articles to many magazines including Vogue, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Outside. In 2021, Orlean joined the writing team of HBO comedy series How To with John Wilson.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

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"What's funny is that the idea of popularity - even the use of the word 'popular' - is something that had been mostly absent from my life since junior high. In fact, the hallmark of life after junior high seemed to be the shedding of popularity as a central concern."

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"The first thing I think about when I wake up most mornings is the fact that I'm tired. I have been tired for decades. I am tired in the morning and I am tired while becalmed in the slough of the afternoon, and I am tired in the evening, except right when I try to go to sleep."

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"I don't turn to greeting cards for wisdom and advice, but they are a fine reflection of the general drift of the culture."

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"A man marries to have a home, but also because he doesn't want to be bothered with sex and all that sort of thing."

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