But everything written has style. The list of ingredients on the side of a cornflakes box has style. And everything literary has literary style. And style is integral to a work. How something is told correlates with - more - makes what's being told. A story is its style.

Words are like untying a corset - you can move into this great space with them.

All we are is eyes looking for the unbroken or the edges where the broken bits might fit each other.

We'd never expect to understand a piece of music on one listen, but we tend to believe we've read a book after reading it just once.

Nothing is harmful to literature except censorship, and that almost never stops literature going where it wants to go either, because literature has a way of surpassing everything that blocks it and growing stronger for the exercise.

Even things which seem separate and finished are infinitely connected and will infinitely connect. This connection happens as soon as you let it, as soon as you engage - as soon as you even attempt to engage.

Happy is what you realize you are a fraction of a second before it's too late.