Where there is no desire or pursuits, there is no wholeness. But there are satisfying lesser states, fragments.

Come to me and show me a small cancer and I'll tell you you've got a small cancer that should be cut out. That's realism but in America it's called cynicism.

We are given our place in time as we are given our eyes: weak, strong, clear, squinting, the thing is not ours to choose. Well, this has been a squinting, walleyed time to be born in.

Art is not a democracy, in fact art is the enemy of democracy

The most interesting thing about writing is the way that it obliterates time. Three hours seem like three minutes.

[Norman Mailer] is against masturbation, he's against homosexuality. He believes that murder is essentially sexual. I think he's rather an anthology of all the darkest American traits.

One of the most fascinating aspects of politician-watching is trying to determine to what extent any politician believes what he says.