Akhil Sharma Quotes, born July 22, 1971, in Delhi, India, is an Indian-American author, professor, and former investment banker, celebrated for his poignant storytelling. Immigrating to the United States in 1979 at age eight, Sharma’s semi-autobiographical novel Family Life (2014) won the 2015 Folio Prize and the 2016 International Dublin Literary Award, detailing his family’s struggles after his brother’s brain-damaging accident. His debut novel, An Obedient Father (2000), earned the 2001 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, and his short story collection, A Life of Adventure and Delight (2017), showcases his unvarnished prose. A graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, Sharma teaches at Rutgers University–Newark. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Best American Short Stories. These 15 quotes—sourced from interviews, public statements, and posts on X—reflect his wisdom on writing, immigration, resilience, and the human condition, capturing his introspective and empathetic voice.
15 Akhil Sharma Quotes
- “I thought it was quite wonderful coming to America. I think immigration is a very difficult thing, but America is a very wonderful place.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “I used to think my father had been assigned to us by the government.” (Family Life, Goodreads, n.d.)
- “It’s easy when you grow up in fear to act out of fear. I don’t want to embrace that fear; I prefer to be kind.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “Why do people always think hurting others is all right, as long as they hurt themselves as well?” (Family Life, Goodreads, n.d.)
- “From my childhood I learned that I could eat pain.” (The Guardian, 2014)
- “Certain things that are true now have always been true and will always be true. All people share the experience of fear, despair, excitement, shame.” (2paragraphs, 2013)
- “We are often unaware of how much we love the people around us.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “I think immigrants, when they’re stressed, think that there’s something wrong with America, when it’s really just difficult to leave a country and all that you know.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “We have to keep trusting God. We can’t just trust God when he’s doing what we want. We have to trust him even when things are not as we would like them.” (Family Life, Goodreads, n.d.)
- “Writing about what happened to my brother and to my family was awful. It was hard to look back at how much suffering there was.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “The reality is that it will be difficult getting it published. When and if you get it published, it is very likely that it is going to be ignored.” (Superstition Review, n.d.)
- “I had written a book. For various reasons, the publishing industry had decided that my book was going to be ‘important.’” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “My parents are deeply pious Hindus.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “Every day I wake up and I say ‘I’m gonna be happy today; I’m gonna make the choices that lead to happiness.’” (Superstition Review, n.d.)
- “When someone gets a success, and we, too, have done good work and sometimes even better work than the person who has just triumphed, we wonder: ‘Why did success pass me by?’” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
Akhil Sharma’s quotes are a profound blend of resilience, empathy, and creative insight, inspiring readers to confront pain, embrace kindness, and find joy in the writing process. Which one’s got you ready to face your own story? Drop it in the comments and keep Akhil’s literary legacy thriving!
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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