--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't find this memoir of these two…" description: "\"I didn't find this memoir of these two eccentric people so different from doing my memoirs of De Sade or Simone Weil. My parents in their own way are a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/francine-du-plessix-gray-19971_different_i-didn-t-find-this-memoir-of-these-two-e_2508285.png" --- # I didn't find this memoir of these two eccentric people so… ![“I didn't find this memoir of these two eccentric people so different from doing my memoirs of De Sade or Simone Weil. My parents in their own way are as odd as Sade.” quote by Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/francine-du-plessix-gray-19971_different_i-didn-t-find-this-memoir-of-these-two-e_2508285.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/francine-du-plessix-gray-19971_different_i-didn-t-find-this-memoir-of-these-two-e_2508285.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/francine-du-plessix-gray-19971_different_i-didn-t-find-this-memoir-of-these-two-e_2508285.png) > “I didn't find this memoir of these two eccentric people so different from doing my memoirs of De Sade or Simone Weil. My parents in their own way are as odd as Sade.” [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She sees her parents' eccentricities as comparable to historic outliers like Sade and Weil. **In simple terms:** Parents are as unconventional as famous radicals. Key Takeaway Embrace family quirks. Themes family eccentricity history Mood introspective thoughtful Type literary personal When to use this quote - family gatherings - self‑analysis - comparative biography Key Concepts psychology literature identity Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do you see your parents reflected in famous figures? - How does this view affect your self‑identity? A Different Perspective Comparisons may oversimplify complex personalities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eccentric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eccentric/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [The Midwest breeds funny, eccentric people, to varying degrees. You play shows not because you're expecting to get a record deal, but to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-carney/the-midwest-breeds-funny-eccentric-people-to-varying-degrees-you-play/) [Patrick Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-carney/) > [The Paris slums are a gathering-place for eccentric people - people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad grooves of life and given up trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-paris-slums-are-a-gathering-place-for-eccentric-people-people-who-2/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I've found that I seek out oddballs; I like strange and eccentric people a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bradford/i-ve-found-that-i-seek-out-oddballs-i-like-strange-and-eccentric/) [Arthur Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bradford/) > [No matter how extreme I've had to be, no matter how eccentric people perceive me to be, because I'm outside the norms, demonstrating that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-johnson/no-matter-how-extreme-i-ve-had-to-be-no-matter-how-eccentric-people/) [Bryan Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-johnson/) > [“... unfools of unbeing ... means quite clearly people who are too stereotyped to be eccentric – people who are too dead spiritually to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-friedman/unfools-of-unbeing-means-quite-clearly-people-who-are-too-stereotyped/) Norman Friedman > [New York was big enough and wide enough that it allowed for reasonably eccentric people like me to thrive. It was a perfect place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benton/new-york-was-big-enough-and-wide-enough-that-it-allowed-for/) [Robert Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benton/) > [I'm convinced England's overflowing with eccentric people, places, happenings. Indeed, you might say eccentricity's normal in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/i-m-convinced-england-s-overflowing-with-eccentric-people-places/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“The Paris slums are a gathering-place for eccentric people–people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad grooves of life and given up trying to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-paris-slums-are-a-gathering-place-for-eccentric-people-people-who/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I have always idolized eccentric people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-boyd/i-have-always-idolized-eccentric-people/) [Brandon Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-boyd/) > [If you really want to break from the pack, you have to risk being perceived to be as eccentric as these people. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eliot/if-you-really-want-to-break-from-the-pack-you-have-to-risk-being/) [John Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eliot/) > [People have different emotional levels. Especially when you're young. Back then I guess most of my influences could be thought of as eccentric. Mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/people-have-different-emotional-levels-especially-when-you-re-young-2/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [If you hide, you won't find the eccentric people who will be your best friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinkx-monsoon/if-you-hide-you-won-t-find-the-eccentric-people-who-will-be-your-best/) [Jinkx Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinkx-monsoon/) > [“There were eccentric characters in the hotel. The Paris slums are a gathering-place for eccentric people — people who have fallen into solitary, half-mad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-were-eccentric-characters-in-the-hotel-the-paris-slums-are-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Writing songs and lyrics is not that different from doing the 'Times' crossword every morning. They both give you a good mental workout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-bricusse/writing-songs-and-lyrics-is-not-that-different-from-doing-the-times/) [Leslie Bricusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-bricusse/) > [We have only to see how that which makes up the reality of our lives relates to our vocation; we have only to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-danielou/we-have-only-to-see-how-that-which-makes-up-the-reality-of-our-lives/) Jean Danielou ## More by Francine du Plessix Gray > [“A heart of fire in a shell of ice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/a-heart-of-fire-in-a-shell-of-ice/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [I think it's one of the reasons I wrote my book later in life. My parents didn't have these extreme alternations of conduct. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/i-think-it-s-one-of-the-reasons-i-wrote-my-book-later-in-life-my/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [The choice between starving and being eaten is an exotic one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/the-choice-between-starving-and-being-eaten-is-an-exotic-one/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [“Ah women, women, my life's plague and chief delight!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/ah-women-women-my-life-s-plague-and-chief-delight/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [All our parents have levels of deviousness. We're driven to write about this discrepancy between the bright shining selves they invented and the monsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/all-our-parents-have-levels-of-deviousness-we-re-driven-to-write/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [Oh, save me God, but not quite yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/oh-save-me-god-but-not-quite-yet/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [I write because in the act of creation there comes that mysterious, abundant sense of being both parent and child; I am giving birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/i-write-because-in-the-act-of-creation-there-comes-that-mysterious/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [“...in Aristotle...leisure is a far more noble, spiritual goal than work...leisure is pursued solely for its own sake...: the pleasures of music and poetry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/in-aristotle-leisure-is-a-far-more-noble-spiritual-goal-than-work/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [The irreversibility of time. That's the hardest thing to accept at our age, that's the most violent aspect of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/the-irreversibility-of-time-that-s-the-hardest-thing-to-accept-at-our/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [Americans and their desire to be novelists, the American novel should be listed in medical dictionaries alongside Megalomania and Obsessional Neuroses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/americans-and-their-desire-to-be-novelists-the-american-novel-should/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [We write out of revenge against reality, to dream and enter the lives of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/we-write-out-of-revenge-against-reality-to-dream-and-enter-the-lives/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [I think we're much more eager to know about our parents than we were in the seventies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/i-think-we-re-much-more-eager-to-know-about-our-parents-than-we-were/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [one forgives parents as naturally as one emancipates oneself from them - usually shortly afterward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/one-forgives-parents-as-naturally-as-one-emancipates-oneself-from/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [I venture that those of us who are most serene when faced with the possibility of nothingness are the ones who've reached furthest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/i-venture-that-those-of-us-who-are-most-serene-when-faced-with-the/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) > [Why are there no great women artists?' sounds as ignorant of human geography as the query 'Why are there no Eskimo tennis teams?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-du-plessix-gray/why-are-there-no-great-women-artists-sounds-as-ignorant-of-human/) [Francine du Plessix Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) [Explore all 31 Francine du Plessix Gray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-du-plessix-gray/) ## More Different quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. 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They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't find this memoir of these two eccentric people so different from doing my memoirs of De Sade or Simone Weil. 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