I have never considered myself a writer in exile because I grew up outside of my own country, because my father was a diplomat. Therefore, I grew up in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, the United States, I studied in Switzerland - so I've always had perspective on my country - I am thankful for that.

The citizen takes his city for granted far too often. He forgets to marvel.

Art gives life to what history killed. Art gives voice to what history denied, silenced, or persecuted. Art brings truth to the lies of history.

Literature overtakes history, for literature gives you more than one life. It expands experience and opens new opportunities to readers.

Cuba needs a dose of perestroika.

What's happened at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq is one of the grossest violations of human rights under the Geneva Conventions that we have record of. It is simply monstrous.

Culture consists of connections, not of separations: to specialize is to isolate.