The secret is that when you've been pitched head first into hell you just write about it

The fewer limitations the artist imposes on his work, the less chance he has for artistic success.

It is in the nature of the human being to seek a justification for his actions.

Yes, you live with your feet in the mud and there's no time to be thinking about how you got in or how you're going to get out.

You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul.

When I was in the gulag I would sometimes even write on stone walls. I used to write on scraps of paper, then I memorised the contents and destroyed the scraps.

I was always optimistic. And I held to and was guided by my views.