--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd…" description: "\"Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, \"You know, this is a good book, how come no one is paying attention to it?\" So it's nice to have some reco..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png" --- # Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, "You know… ![“Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, "You know, this is a good book, how come no one is paying attention to it?" So it's nice to have some recognition.” quote by Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png) > “Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, "You know, this is a good book, how come no one is paying attention to it?" So it's nice to have some recognition.” [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author feels overlooked despite creating quality work, craving acknowledgment from others. **In simple terms:** Frustration over lack of attention for a good book. Key Takeaway Seek validation through impact, not just praise. Themes recognition creativity validation Mood reflective hopeful Type personal literary When to use this quote - publishing industry - social media - literary circles Key Concepts selfesteem public reception artist anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure success beyond applause? - What drives you to create if not for fame? A Different Perspective Recognition may be fleeting and not reflect true value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-nice-1250718/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Frustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustrated/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Nice Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-recognition-1250717/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not much of a self-promoter or anything. It's not something I feel comfortable doing. But sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-m-not-much-of-a-self-promoter-or-anything-it-s-not-something-i-feel/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [It is good to be God, yeah. It's nice to get the recognition that I've been working so hard for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-collins/it-is-good-to-be-god-yeah-it-s-nice-to-get-the-recognition-that-i-ve/) [Misha Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-collins/) > [If you pay a little bit of attention to something, and then let it go, and then come back to it, and then pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/if-you-pay-a-little-bit-of-attention-to-something-and-then-let-it-go/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [It's nice to have recognition for doing a good job, but at the end of the day, I'm just an actor and I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-madden/it-s-nice-to-have-recognition-for-doing-a-good-job-but-at-the-end-of/) [Richard Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-madden/) > [Of course it's nice to get recognition, but I'm not looking for it. I just do my thing. If it comes, it comes. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-eriksen/of-course-it-s-nice-to-get-recognition-but-i-m-not-looking-for-it-i/) [Christian Eriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-eriksen/) > [My dad was always such a frustrated artist. He always worked very hard to support his family, doing a bunch of ridiculous jobs. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/my-dad-was-always-such-a-frustrated-artist-he-always-worked-very-hard/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [“I'm frustrated with him, but I'm also frustrated with myself. That I can't find the words to explain it to him. I'm totally sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-mathieu/i-m-frustrated-with-him-but-i-m-also-frustrated-with-myself-that-i/) [Jennifer Mathieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-mathieu/) > [Mr Bush, Mr. Blair and now Mr Brown's sense of human rights precludes our people's right to their God-given resources, which in their view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/mr-bush-mr-blair-and-now-mr-brown-s-sense-of-human-rights-precludes/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [Uncertainty that comes from knowledge (knowing what you don't know) is different from uncertainty coming from ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/uncertainty-that-comes-from-knowledge-knowing-what-you-don-t-know-is/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Drivers in a traffic jam, frustrated by each others presence, are not the most amiable of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-riesman/drivers-in-a-traffic-jam-frustrated-by-each-others-presence-are-not/) [David Riesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-riesman/) > [I often feel intellectually frustrated when I'm in a position where I'm not moving forward; when I'm not enquiring about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-often-feel-intellectually-frustrated-when-i-m-in-a-position-where-i/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [“Tibbie’s humor had often saved the day in the past, but this time it wasn’t going to work. Brianna was far too frustrated. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-rosenfeld/tibbie-s-humor-had-often-saved-the-day-in-the-past-but-this-time-it/) [Ross Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-rosenfeld/) > [Hell hath no fury like a frustrated fundamentalist whose God condemned him to "hell" for having "impure thoughts."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-burch/hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-frustrated-fundamentalist-whose-god/) [Michael R. Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-burch/) > [It's often frustrating when you're a war reporter and you're covering these places that far away. You're frustrated by making stories that people can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-rowley/it-s-often-frustrating-when-you-re-a-war-reporter-and-you-re-covering/) [Rick Rowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-rowley/) > [When you're frustrated with people, when they've made you angry, it just may be because you haven't given them enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/when-you-re-frustrated-with-people-when-they-ve-made-you-angry-it/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) ## More by Paul Beatty > [There are things I don't like, like sitting at the head of the class. It makes me uncomfortable. I'll do it in a seminar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/there-are-things-i-don-t-like-like-sitting-at-the-head-of-the-class/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [In The Sellout I tried to capture how we can talk and see race, how we see urbanity, and how we see our history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/in-the-sellout-i-tried-to-capture-how-we-can-talk-and-see-race-how-we/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [In White Boy Shuffle, I combined my seventh-grade teacher, Mr. Takemoto, who really saved me - I don't think I've ever told anyone this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/in-white-boy-shuffle-i-combined-my-seventh-grade-teacher-mr-takemoto/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I co-taught a seminar called Small Group Processes with my professor. I learned so much from it, so much about myself, about groups, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-co-taught-a-seminar-called-small-group-processes-with-my-professor/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [ I'll say this, and it'll sound like bullshit, but it's not: I don't really pay attention to this stuff \[Man Booker Prize\] very much.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-ll-say-this-and-it-ll-sound-like-bullshit-but-it-s-not-i-don-t/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [“Hereos. Idols. They're never who you think they are. Shorter. Nastier. Smellier. And when you finally meet them, there's something that makes you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/hereos-idols-they-re-never-who-you-think-they-are-shorter-nastier/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [There are many similarities between Germans and blacks. The nouns themselves are loaded with so much historical baggage it's impossible for anyone to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/there-are-many-similarities-between-germans-and-blacks-the-nouns/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [Like when you have the right title for something you're writing and you get lost - you can always go back to the title…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/like-when-you-have-the-right-title-for-something-you-re-writing-and/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I had a student once come up to me and we were talking about this incident, and, of course, I never had the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-had-a-student-once-come-up-to-me-and-we-were-talking-about-this/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [ There are always so many things happening \[to us\] at one time. We read Isherwood's A Single Man in class, and we had to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/there-are-always-so-many-things-happening-to-us-at-one-time-we-read/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I forget how beautiful and calm California is. It's not so much about the place, but also the age that I came to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-forget-how-beautiful-and-calm-california-is-it-s-not-so-much-about/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [“My litmus test of compatibility is 'Tom Cruise.' I hate people who hate Tom Cruise, cultural automatons who at the mention of his name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/my-litmus-test-of-compatibility-is-tom-cruise-i-hate-people-who-hate/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [“Sometimes it's the nihilism that makes life worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/sometimes-it-s-the-nihilism-that-makes-life-worth-living/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I think there's nothing new going on. Except that, you're even more public than you've ever been.There's some good and some bad to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-think-there-s-nothing-new-going-on-except-that-you-re-even-more/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [“Would he read the paper and see that the Union he saved was now a dysfunctional plutocracy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/would-he-read-the-paper-and-see-that-the-union-he-saved-was-now-a/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) [Explore all 98 Paul Beatty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, \"You know, this is a good book, how come no one is paying attention to it?\" So it's nice to have some recognition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Beatty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-think-you-know-this-is-a-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-think-you-know-this-is-a-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/paul-beatty-6684_attention_sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-thi_1711493.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd think, \"You know, this is a good book, how come no one is paying…” — Paul Beatty", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Beatty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes I would get frustrated, I'd...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-think-you-know-this-is-a-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/sometimes-i-would-get-frustrated-i-d-think-you-know-this-is-a-good/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```