--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Odette nodded at my notebook, where I was…" description: "\"“Odette nodded at my notebook, where I was writing as she spoke. 'Do the people in America really want to read this? People tell me to write these thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/philip-gourevitch-17484_things-written_odette-nodded-at-my-notebook-where-i-was_3002018.png" --- # Odette nodded at my notebook, where I was writing as she… ![“Odette nodded at my notebook, where I was writing as she spoke. 'Do the people in America really want to read this? People tell me to write these things down, but it's written inside of me. I almost hope for the day when I can forget.” quote by Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/philip-gourevitch-17484_things-written_odette-nodded-at-my-notebook-where-i-was_3002018.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/philip-gourevitch-17484_things-written_odette-nodded-at-my-notebook-where-i-was_3002018.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62d/philip-gourevitch-17484_things-written_odette-nodded-at-my-notebook-where-i-was_3002018.png) > ““Odette nodded at my notebook, where I was writing as she spoke. 'Do the people in America really want to read this? People tell me to write these things down, but it's written inside of me. I almost hope for the day when I can forget.”” [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer doubts American readers’ interest, feeling compelled to write from within despite external pressure to document. **In simple terms:** I question if America wants my words. Key Takeaway Balance internal drive with audience expectations. Themes authorship self‑doubt audience creativity Mood introspective thoughtful Type literary personal When to use this quote - literary criticism - publishing decisions - author workshops Key Concepts writing process cultural relevance personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to write despite doubt? - How can you connect with your intended readers? A Different Perspective May limit reach if overly self‑critical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Natalie skimmed the left side of the book, then the right. 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In addition to military and administrative chiefs and a veritable army…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/colonisation-is-violence-and-there-are-many-ways-to-carry-out-that/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [The people are living seperately together," he said. "So there is responsibility. I cry, you cry. You cry, I cry. We all come running,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/the-people-are-living-seperately-together-he-said-so-there-is/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [Political corruption is to Rhode Islanders as smog is to people who live in Los Angeles: nobody complains of its absence, but when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/political-corruption-is-to-rhode-islanders-as-smog-is-to-people-who/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [Genocide, after all, is an exercise in community building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gourevitch/genocide-after-all-is-an-exercise-in-community-building/) [Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gourevitch/) > [“So there is responsibility. I cry, you cry. 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Not a bit of what is written in books ever got there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/do-you-think-that-civilization-advances-because-of-things-written-in/) [Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/) > [A thousand things to be written had I time: had I power. A very little writing uses up my capacity for writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-thousand-things-to-be-written-had-i-time-had-i-power-a-very-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I've written songs about things that nobody else has ever written about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allan-coe/i-ve-written-songs-about-things-that-nobody-else-has-ever-written/) [David Allan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allan-coe/) > [The pen is the tongue of the soul; as are the thoughts engendered there, so will be the things written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/the-pen-is-the-tongue-of-the-soul-as-are-the-thoughts-engendered/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [I usually don't read things written about me and I certainly don't read things if they are inappropriate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt/i-usually-don-t-read-things-written-about-me-and-i-certainly-don-t/) [Helen Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt/) Browse all 49 Things Written quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Odette nodded at my notebook, where I was writing as she spoke. 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