Where happiness was not a possibility, the illusion of it was always more important.

I think a good novel can be a doorstop to despair. I also think the real bravery comes with those who prepared to go through that door and look at the world in all its grime and torment, and still find something of value, no matter how small.

The contemporary American novelist benefits in a way from being ignored. It makes you angrier and makes you want to go into all of those places where you shouldnt.

...it was necessary to love silence, but before you could love silence you had to have noise.

The stars looked like nail heads in the sky--pull a few of them out and the darkness would fall.

Cynicism is easy. An optimist is a braver cynic.

You can count the dead, but you can't count the cost. We've got no math for Heaven.