--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But mostly, it's a book about my…" description: "\"But mostly, it's a book about my relationship with my father.\" — Alison Bechdel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/alison-bechdel-7240_about_but-mostly-it-s-a-book-about-my-relation_2137305.jpg" --- # But mostly, it's a book about my relationship with my… ![“But mostly, it's a book about my relationship with my father.” quote by Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/alison-bechdel-7240_about_but-mostly-it-s-a-book-about-my-relation_2137305.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/alison-bechdel-7240_about_but-mostly-it-s-a-book-about-my-relation_2137305.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/alison-bechdel-7240_about_but-mostly-it-s-a-book-about-my-relation_2137305.jpg) > “But mostly, it's a book about my relationship with my father.” [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The book explores her complex relationship with her father. **In simple terms:** It's about her father relationship. Key Takeaway Explore personal family dynamics. Themes family identity storytelling Mood intimate reflective Type memoir graphic novel When to use this quote - therapy sessions - memoir writing - family reunions Key Concepts sexuality generational trauma Questions to Reflect On - How does this relationship influence her art? - What universal themes emerge? A Different Perspective Family narratives can be painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-relationship-1894828/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Mostly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mostly/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationship Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-father/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) ## Related quotes > [In the book the relationship with Katharine and Almasy is sort of only in the patient's mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/in-the-book-the-relationship-with-katharine-and-almasy-is-sort-of/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > ['In the Wake' was a very bleak book. This relationship was not too good, the father and son. This time around, I wanted a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-petterson/in-the-wake-was-a-very-bleak-book-this-relationship-was-not-too-good/) [Per Petterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-petterson/) > [reading is a private act, private even from the person who wrote the book. Once the novel is out there, the author is beside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/reading-is-a-private-act-private-even-from-the-person-who-wrote-the/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I'd love to have a great relationship with my father. And unfortunately... I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-d-love-to-have-a-great-relationship-with-my-father-and/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [My mom and dad had the relationship that I want, and they were teammates. They were always equal 50/50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/my-mom-and-dad-had-the-relationship-that-i-want-and-they-were/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [My relationship with my parents is among the greatest gifts of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-castellani/my-relationship-with-my-parents-is-among-the-greatest-gifts-of-my-life/) [Christopher Castellani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-castellani/) > [“I never had a tight relationship with my dad- who was an excellent provider but didn't really have much conversation or emotional support for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-king/i-never-had-a-tight-relationship-with-my-dad-who-was-an-excellent/) [J.L. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-king/) > [A lot of people reject the idea of God as Father if they've had a competitive relationship with their own father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/a-lot-of-people-reject-the-idea-of-god-as-father-if-they-ve-had-a/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [I had no relationship with my father. He was never around. I met him when I was a sophomore in college. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-wallace/i-had-no-relationship-with-my-father-he-was-never-around-i-met-him/) [Ben Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-wallace/) > [There is the need for an intimate romantic relationship with the father. Abundant joy and an intimate personal receiving of God's love should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arnott/there-is-the-need-for-an-intimate-romantic-relationship-with-the/) [John Arnott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arnott/) > [My son is the reason why I write music. He's the reason why everything is different for me. Because when he came into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/my-son-is-the-reason-why-i-write-music-he-s-the-reason-why-everything/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [Oddly, I do have a problem with authority. I find it very difficult to knuckle down and follow rules. Which are the classic symptoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/oddly-i-do-have-a-problem-with-authority-i-find-it-very-difficult-to/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [While I have always had a good relationship with my father, much of the time it has been a very limited relationship until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-hefner/while-i-have-always-had-a-good-relationship-with-my-father-much-of/) [Christie Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-hefner/) > [Any son of a dictator, I'm sure, has major issues with their relationship with their father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cooper/any-son-of-a-dictator-i-m-sure-has-major-issues-with-their/) [Dominic Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cooper/) > [My parents didn't have a good relationship, my father was a cheater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-pivarnick/my-parents-didn-t-have-a-good-relationship-my-father-was-a-cheater/) [Angelina Pivarnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-pivarnick/) ## More by Alison Bechdel > [Watching everyone root through their psyche, it just delights me. Especially R. Crumb's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/watching-everyone-root-through-their-psyche-it-just-delights-me/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [It's imprecise and insufficient, defining the homosexual as a person whose gender expression is at odds with his or her sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-imprecise-and-insufficient-defining-the-homosexual-as-a-person/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [The writing is hard, and the drawing is fun. It's very satisfying to see a drawing start to come together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/the-writing-is-hard-and-the-drawing-is-fun-it-s-very-satisfying-to/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Sometimes I wish the writing and drawing were more integrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/sometimes-i-wish-the-writing-and-drawing-were-more-integrated/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [“My homosexuality remained at that point purely theoretical, an untested hypothesis. But it was a hypothesise so thorough and so convincing I saw no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/my-homosexuality-remained-at-that-point-purely-theoretical-an/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Autobiographical comics, I love them. I love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/autobiographical-comics-i-love-them-i-love-them/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Partly I resented being perceived as weak because I was a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/partly-i-resented-being-perceived-as-weak-because-i-was-a-girl/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [“I put the odds on a psychic deathmatch between Attila the Hun and Virginia Woolf at fifty-fifty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/i-put-the-odds-on-a-psychic-deathmatch-between-attila-the-hun-and/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Basically, my work is play. It never actually feels that way - I'm always aiming to attain that state. But I get to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/basically-my-work-is-play-it-never-actually-feels-that-way-i-m-always/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [What would happen if we spoke the truth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/what-would-happen-if-we-spoke-the-truth/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [It was a vicious cycle, though. The more gratification we found in our own geniuses, the more isolated we grew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-was-a-vicious-cycle-though-the-more-gratification-we-found-in-our/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [“Then there were those famous wings. Was Daedalus really stricken with grief when Icarus fell into the sea? Or just disappointed by the design…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/then-there-were-those-famous-wings-was-daedalus-really-stricken-with/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [“In this pause, I suddenly saw something very clearly. Whatever it was I wanted from my mother was simply not there to be had.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/in-this-pause-i-suddenly-saw-something-very-clearly-whatever-it-was-i/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [People really want to think that these things really happened. I don't know why that is important, but I know that when I finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/people-really-want-to-think-that-these-things-really-happened-i-don-t/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [“It's said, after all, that people reach middle age the day they realize they're never going to read Remembrance of Things Past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-said-after-all-that-people-reach-middle-age-the-day-they-realize/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) [Explore all 93 Alison Bechdel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. 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