My books are about losers, about people who've lost their way and are engaged in a search.

There are some fundamental values it's impossible to be wrong about.

personally I don't trust literature that soothes people's consciences.

It's very useful when politicians have doubts because there are so many choices to be made in the world.

Perfection spawns doctrines, dictators and totalitarian ideas.

The most important basis of any novel is wanting to be someone else, and this means creating a character.

My job is to look at what politics is doing, not be a politician myself.