The Atlantic has been hosting a series called “By Heart,” where authors discuss their favorite quotes in literature.
Edwidge Dandicat talks about her immigration experience and chooses a passage from a novel by Patricia Engels, which articulates that “trying to start a life in a strange land is an artistic feat of the highest order, one that ranks with (or perhaps above) our greatest cultural achievements.”
Dandicat says, “This brings art into the realm of what ordinary people do to in order to survive. It takes away the notion that art is too lofty for the masses, and puts it in the day-to-day. I’ve never seen anyone connect being an artist and an immigrant so explicitly, and for me it was a revelation.”
The entire interview can be found here.
And in case you missed The Rumpus book review of Dandicat’s latest book, read it now!
