Author Birthday – 13 November – Vera Caspary

Vera Caspary was born on 13 November 1899 and died on 13 June 1987.

Vera Caspary Quotes

1. No writer, however popular, disdains a reader, however humble.
2. This has been the century of The Woman and I know myself fortunate to have been part of the revolution. In another generation, perhaps the next, equality will be taken for granted. Those who come after us may find it easier to assert independence, but will miss the grand adventure of having been born a woman in this century of change. (The Secrets of Grown-Ups)
3. In my case, self-absorption is completely justified. I have never discovered any other subject quite so worthy of my attention. (Laura)
4. Frightened people try to defend themselves by accusing others of their own motives. (Laura)
5. In its many beginnings, mutations, and styles of narration, my story always concerns man’s search for the sympathy and satisfaction that only the heroine can bestow. (Evvie)
6. Money can be more of a barrier between people than language or race or religion. (A Chosen Sparrow)
7. It’s when you have friends that you can afford to be lonely. When you know a lot of people, loneliness becomes a luxury. (Laura)
8. The real villain of the tale is Cinderella, with her absurd persistence in maintaining the legend that unless we are richly kept, we are failures as women. (Thelma)

Vera Caspary was an American writer of novels, plays, screenplays, and short stories. She wrote hardboiled crime fiction, mysteries, psychological thrillers, and suspense, with a particular interest in strong, independent female characters and the femme fatale archetype. Caspary began her career as a stenographer and copywriter. From 1925 to 1927, she edited Dance Magazine. In 1929, she published her first novel, The White Girl, which was praised for its portrayal of a Black woman who moves to Chicago and passes as white. During her career, Caspary wrote 21 novels, five plays, an autobiography, a collection of short stories, and numerous screenplays. Her best-known novel, Laura, is a murder mystery with a complex plot and characters. The 1944 film adaptation was hugely popular and has since become a classic. Other works include Evvie, The Man Who Loved His Wife, The Murder in the Stork Club and Other Mysteries, and Bedelia. Caspary’s work also reflects her interest in prejudice and class divisions. She explored themes of isolation, betrayal, identity, and the pressures of modern society. Her memoir is titled The Secrets of Grown-Ups. She received Screen Writers Guild awards for A Letter to Three Wives in 1948 and Les Girls in 1967.

Source for Image: Wikipedia

by Amanda Patterson
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