His main principles were indeed as follows: everything it is possible to imagine can also exist.

Your green eye is a reducing chamber. If I look into it long enough, I wil become as small as my own reflection, I will diminish to a point and vanish. I will be drawn down into that black whirlpool and be consumed by you. I shall become so small you can keep me in one of your osier cages and mock my loss of liberty.

The kind of power mothers have is enormous. Take the skyline of Istanbul - enormous breasts, pathetic little willies, a final revenge on Islam. I was so scared I had to crouch in the bottom of the boat when I saw it.

Cities have sexes: London is a man, Paris a woman, and New York a well-adjusted transsexual.

I don't really think that writers, even great writers, are prophets, or sages, or Messiah-like figures; writing is a lonely, sedentary occupation and a touch of megalomania can be comforting around five on a November afternoon when you haven't seen anybody all day.

I drew the curtains to conceal the sight of my father's farewell; my spite was sharp as broken glass.

Not many people can boast a photo of their grandmother posing for kiddiporn.