It is said the sesta is one of the only gifts the Europeans brought to South America, but I imagine the Brazilians could have figured out how to sleep in the afternoon without having to endure centuries of murder and enslavement.

Thank God Roxane Coss had not fallen in love with one of the Russians. She doubted they could make it up the stairs without stopping for a cigarette and telling at least one loud story that no one could understand.

I believe, in my better moments, that there is a plan and things go not the way we want them to but the way they should.

I am not mature enough as a reader to enjoy a book in which I hate all the people.

I'm very sentimental about lobsters. The last lobster I ate was the only lobster I cooked.

I decided to make my living as a magazine writer. And I found that it was really easy and fun.

I don't want to stand with somebody's praise.