To really be centered and to really work well and to think about the kinds of things that I need to think about, I need to spend large amounts of time alone.

Who was it said that coincidence was just God’s way of remaining anonymous?

But romantic vision can also lead one away from certain very hard, ugly truths about life that are important to know.

But how,” said Charles, who was close to tears, “how can you possibly justify cold-blooded murder?’ Henry lit a cigarette. “I prefer to think of it,” he had said, “as redistribution of matter.

Actually, I enjoy the process of writing a big long novel.

Who cares? If he is good to you? None of us ever find enough kindness in the world, do we?

The job of the novelist is to invent: to embroider, to color, to embellish, to entertain, to make things up. The art of what I do lies not in research or even recollection but primarily in invention.