Mon cher ami, let's not give them any pretext, no matter how small, for judging us!!! Otherwise, we'll be left in shreds. We are forced to take the same precautions as the animal trainer. If, before going into the cage, he has the misfortune to cut himself while shaving, what a feast for the wild animals!!

The temptation shared by all forms of intelligence: cynicism.

History has shown that the less people read, the more books they buy.

And never have I felt so deeply at one and the same time so detached from myself and so present in the world.

Old women even forget how to love their sons. The heart gets worn out, Monsieur.

We [writers] must know that we can never escape the common misery and that our only justification, if indeed there is a justification, is to speak up, insofar as we can, for those who cannot do so.

Since we're all going to die, it's obvious that when and how don't matter.