I think that the relationship between two top-level athletes who are rivals is one of the most fascinating human relationships to explore. It's always one atom away from being a tragedy.

Sometimes we don't notice that someone is being brave, because they are only doing something that seems quite easy for us.

I think, in common with a lot of novelists, I wasn't the most athletic guy at school.

And thus love makes fools of us all.

The reason why I love people, and writing about them, is because they don't always respond with hate and anger. If they did I wouldn't have a story to tell. Who wants to know about someone who was brutalised and became brutal? I'm interested in the exceptions.

Wouldn't that be funny, if the oil rebels were playing U2 in their jungle camps, and the government soldiers were playing U2 in their trucks. I think everyone was killing everyone else and listening to the same music... That is a good trick about this world, Sarah. No one likes each other, but everyone likes U2.

I’m telling you, trouble is like the ocean. It covers two thirds of the world.