A passport, as I'm sure you know, is a document that one shows to government officials whenever one reaches a border between two countries, so that the official can learn who you are, where you were born, and how you look when photographed unflatteringly.

Sometime during your life—in fact, very soon—you may find yourself reading a book, and you may notice that a book’s first sentence can often tell you what sort of story your book contains.

This is an absurd moral, for you and I both know that sometimes not only is it good to lie, it is necessary to lie.

I was not a particularly brave child, I think, because I had a narrative mind, because my mind automatically went to any terrible thing that could happen.

I always think it's silly when people talk about works of culture taking risks. Because there's not any risk involved.

So you’re reluctant, I said to myself. Many, many people are reluctant. It’s like having feet. It’s nothing to brag about.

I kind of always think my work is unfilmable, and when I meet people who are interested in filming it, I'm always stunned.