Their friendship was like a wilted bunch of flowers that she insisted on topping up with water. Why not let it die instead?

The attraction of a life devoted to sensation, pleasure and self would probably wear thin one day, but there was still plenty of time for that yet.

You must do what you enjoy.

I'm not the consolation prize, Dex. I'm not something you resort to. I happen to think I'm worth more than that.

I applied for the University of Life. Didn't get the grades.

Failure and unhappiness is easier because you can make a joke out of it.

David Holdaway was my stage name. I was an actor for about eight years in the '90s. I had to change my name because there was another David Nicholls, and I thought if I changed it to my mother's name, she'd be touched.