--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An autobiography is an obituary in serial…" description: "\"“An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last instalment missing.”\" — Quentin Crisp" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png" --- # An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the… ![“An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last instalment missing.” quote by Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png) > ““An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last instalment missing.”” [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An autobiography is a living record that ends abruptly, missing the final chapter of life. **In simple terms:** Life’s story stops before the final page. Key Takeaway Embrace the unfinished nature of life. Themes mortality self‑reflection literary form life narrative Mood thoughtful philosophical melancholic Type literary existential When to use this quote - Writing memoirs - reflecting on legacy - planning end‑of‑life matters - sharing personal histories Key Concepts Existentialism autobiographical limits human finitude Questions to Reflect On - What part of your story will live on? - How do we honor unfinished narratives? A Different Perspective It may overlook the ongoing influence after death. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autobiography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiography/) [Autobiography Obituary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiography-obituary-3484841/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Instalment Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instalment-missing-3484843/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Obituary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary/) [Obituary Serial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituary-serial-3484842/) ## Related quotes > [An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last installment missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-serial-form-with-the-last-2/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [ “\[Jürgen Habermas' obituary to friend and philosopher, Richard Rorty\] One small autobiographical piece by Rorty bears the title 'Wild Orchids and Trotsky.' In it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-habermas/j-rgen-habermas-obituary-to-friend-and-philosopher-richard-rorty-one/) [Jürgen Habermas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-habermas/) > [“As well as writing, 2004 saw my first attempt at wine making: the elixir of life. Unfortunately, my effort tasted more like the elixir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-briggs/as-well-as-writing-2004-saw-my-first-attempt-at-wine-making-the/) [Craig Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-briggs/) > [When I die, if the word 'thong' appears in the first or second sentence of my obituary, I've screwed up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/when-i-die-if-the-word-thong-appears-in-the-first-or-second-sentence/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [“There's the obituary to look for the next week, six column inches about nothing that really mattered”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/there-s-the-obituary-to-look-for-the-next-week-six-column-inches/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I'd been making desicions for days. I picked out the dress Bailey would wear forever- a black slinky one- innapropriate- that she loved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/i-d-been-making-desicions-for-days-i-picked-out-the-dress-bailey/) [Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/) > [“Do something you would be proud to have in your obituary, but not something that will haunt you until that day. Live for now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-regan/do-something-you-would-be-proud-to-have-in-your-obituary-but-not/) [Audrey Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-regan/) > [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/a-life-spent-in-constant-labor-is-a-life-wasted-save-a-man-be-such-a/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [I was studying the impacts of fishing on ocean life, while the places that I loved so much continued to decline: less and smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enric-sala/i-was-studying-the-impacts-of-fishing-on-ocean-life-while-the-places/) [Enric Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enric-sala/) > [“Eight Bells: Robert J. Kane ‘55D died June 3, 2017, in Palm Harbor, Florida. He came to MMA by way of Boston College. Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/eight-bells-robert-j-kane-55d-died-june-3-2017-in-palm-harbor-florida/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“The clear awareness of having been born into a losing struggle need not lead one into despair. I do not especially like the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-clear-awareness-of-having-been-born-into-a-losing-struggle-need/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [If you could have a famous writer, dead or alive, write an obituary for you and really puff you up to have been something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padgett-powell/if-you-could-have-a-famous-writer-dead-or-alive-write-an-obituary-for/) [Padgett Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padgett-powell/) > [Hang onto your sense of humor. I picture my obituary : The sexiest man alive is now dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-harmon/hang-onto-your-sense-of-humor-i-picture-my-obituary-the-sexiest-man/) [Mark Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-harmon/) ## More by Quentin Crisp > [You can behave as badly as you like in America. Nobody notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/you-can-behave-as-badly-as-you-like-in-america-nobody-notices/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/never-keep-up-with-the-joneses-drag-them-down-to-your-level/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [“Masturbation is not only an expression of self-regard: it is also the natural emotional outlet of those who, before anything has reared its ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/masturbation-is-not-only-an-expression-of-self-regard-it-is-also-the/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [My mother protected me from the world and my father threatened me with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/my-mother-protected-me-from-the-world-and-my-father-threatened-me/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Nothing more rapidly inclines a person to go into a monastery than reading a book on etiquette. There are so many trivial ways in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/nothing-more-rapidly-inclines-a-person-to-go-into-a-monastery-than/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Vice is its own reward. It is virtue which, if it is to be marketed with consumer appeal, must carry Green Shield stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/vice-is-its-own-reward-it-is-virtue-which-if-it-is-to-be-marketed/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Most men when they make up their faces, the makeup stands forward, and their faces are behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/most-men-when-they-make-up-their-faces-the-makeup-stands-forward-and/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Development of character consists solely in moving toward self-sufficiency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/development-of-character-consists-solely-in-moving-toward-self/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Women have decided to be people, which is a great mistake. Women were nicer than people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/women-have-decided-to-be-people-which-is-a-great-mistake-women-were/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Sex is the last refuge of the misreable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/sex-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-misreable/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [I was amazed to receive later a substantial sum for sitting in my room and talking about myself. If only I could get some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-was-amazed-to-receive-later-a-substantial-sum-for-sitting-in-my/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [If you live in America, you don't have to work. You can just drift along in the smiling and nodding racket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/if-you-live-in-america-you-don-t-have-to-work-you-can-just-drift/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [“I was from birth an object of mild ridicule because of my movements - especially the perpetual flutter of my hands - and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-was-from-birth-an-object-of-mild-ridicule-because-of-my-movements/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [If a man were to look over the fence on one side of his garden and observe that the neighbor on his left had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/if-a-man-were-to-look-over-the-fence-on-one-side-of-his-garden-and/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) [Explore all 279 Quentin Crisp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) ## More Autobiography quotes > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [“I am not and autobiographical writer--one can't be without a solid and explicable self--and read all autobiographical writers with the same curiosity. What kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiyun-li/i-am-not-and-autobiographical-writer-one-can-t-be-without-a-solid-and/) [Yiyun Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yiyun-li/) > [“Someday, I want to write an unauthorized autobiography of myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcmullen-sullivan/someday-i-want-to-write-an-unauthorized-autobiography-of-myself/) [David McMullen-Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcmullen-sullivan/) > [“As well as writing, 2004 saw my first attempt at wine making: the elixir of life. Unfortunately, my effort tasted more like the elixir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-briggs/as-well-as-writing-2004-saw-my-first-attempt-at-wine-making-the/) [Craig Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-briggs/) > [I caught a cold and didn't have time to work on my autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-doucet/i-caught-a-cold-and-didn-t-have-time-to-work-on-my-autobiography/) [Julie Doucet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-doucet/) > [Who ever heard, indeed, of an autobiography that was not (interesting)? I can recall none in all the literature of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-ever-heard-indeed-of-an-autobiography-that-was-not-interesting-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't really think of my essays as being about myself. I know it sounds insane, but I just don't think of them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-don-t-really-think-of-my-essays-as-being-about-myself-i-know-it/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [The way I would live my life is: never do something in real life that I would not want to write about in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/the-way-i-would-live-my-life-is-never-do-something-in-real-life-that/) [Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/) > [biography cannot be separated from autobiography: that is, the life written about is inextricably entangled with the life of the biographer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-simon/biography-cannot-be-separated-from-autobiography-that-is-the-life/) [Linda Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-simon/) > [I think I'm like most novelists in that my books have gotten farther and farther away from autobiography the longer I've been writing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-i-m-like-most-novelists-in-that-my-books-have-gotten-farther/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [If you wish to understand me at all (and to write an autobiography is only to open a window into one's heart) you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-melba/if-you-wish-to-understand-me-at-all-and-to-write-an-autobiography-is/) [Nellie Melba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-melba/) > [I want an autobiography without revealing any personal information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/i-want-an-autobiography-without-revealing-any-personal-information/) [Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/) > [I don't like the word 'autobiography.' I rather like the term 'autofiction.' The second you make a script out of the story of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-don-t-like-the-word-autobiography-i-rather-like-the-term/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [Because I write fiction, I don't write autobiography, and to me they are very different things. The first-person narrative is a very intimate thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/because-i-write-fiction-i-don-t-write-autobiography-and-to-me-they/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [“I don't think anyone could write a completely honest autobiography. I am sure no one could bear to read it: My Past Was An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-don-t-think-anyone-could-write-a-completely-honest-autobiography-i/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 642 Autobiography quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autobiography/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last instalment missing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Quentin Crisp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-serial-form-with-the-last/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Autobiography" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-serial-form-with-the-last/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/quentin-crisp-1163_autobiography_an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-seria_1995823.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An autobiography is an obituary in serial form with the last instalment missing.” — Quentin Crisp", "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": "Quentin Crisp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“An autobiography is an obituary in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-serial-form-with-the-last/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/an-autobiography-is-an-obituary-in-serial-form-with-the-last/#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 } } ] } ```