Adam Johnson Quotes, born July 12, 1967, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is an American novelist, short story writer, and Stanford University professor, celebrated for his haunting and lyrical explorations of identity, survival, and storytelling. His Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Orphan Master’s Son (2012) illuminates life under North Korea’s oppressive regime, while Fortune Smiles (2015) earned the National Book Award for its piercing short stories. A Whiting Award recipient, Johnson’s work, translated into over 20 languages, blends meticulous research with profound empathy, drawing from his visits to North Korea and studies of authoritarianism.
These 15 quotes—sourced from his books, interviews, and posts on X—reflect his insights on storytelling, resilience, human nature, and the power of narrative, capturing his evocative prose and unflinching gaze into the human condition.
15 Adam Johnson Quotes
- “But people do things to survive, and then after they survive, they can’t live with what they’ve done.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “Where we are from, stories are factual. If a farmer is declared a music virtuoso by the state, everyone had better start calling him maestro. And secretly, he’d be wise to start practicing the piano.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “Today, tomorrow,” she said. “A day is nothing. A day is just a match you strike after the ten thousand matches before it have gone out.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “A name isn’t a person,” Ga said. “Don’t ever remember someone by their name. To keep someone alive, you put them inside you, you put their face on your heart.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “In America, the stories we tell ourselves and we tell each other in fiction have to do with individualism. Every person here is the center of his or her own story.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “Use your imagination only on the future, never on the present or the past.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “The light, the sky, the water, they were all things you looked through during the day. At night, they were things you looked into.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “Writing is hard work, and if anything’s true about the process, it’s that a good story is hard to find and even trickier to get on paper.” (Interview, AZQuotes, n.d.)
- “I know it really sounds cheesy, but I did feel a duty to try to tell the stories of people who couldn’t speak for themselves.” (Interview, AZQuotes, n.d.)
- “Life brings what it brings. I might be young but I’ve learnt this: prepare for each blind corner with your strongest shoulder dropped, ready to smash through whatever is thrown at you next.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “The darkness inside your head is something your imagination fills with stories that have nothing to do with the real darkness around you.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “For us, the story is more important than the person. If a man and his story are in conflict, it is the man who must change.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “Picture a pencil and eraser engaged in a beautiful dance across the page. The pencil’s tip bursts with expression—squiggles, figures, words—filling the emptiness.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “I am a champion standing over the shadow of my former self.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
- “Inside is where the son and the father will always be holding hands.” (The Orphan Master’s Son, 2012)
Adam Johnson’s quotes are a haunting blend of poetic storytelling, raw resilience, and piercing insight, inspiring readers to confront the stories that shape us and find humanity in the darkest places. Which one’s got you ready to reimagine your own narrative? Drop it in the comments and keep Johnson’s literary legacy burning!
Emma Thompson
Hi, I'm Emma Thompson, founder of MyLittleDesire. I share relationship advice, love quotes, and thoughtful gift ideas to help you express your feelings and strengthen your bonds. Let's celebrate love together!
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