Then die. We must all do that. But die, as they say, game.

Between Malraux, Balzac, and Montaigne, I choose Montaigne. Montaigne will survive all the others, because the essay, meaning direct communication between the writer and his reader, will outlast the novel, by at least a thousand years.

For true happiness, it is not enough to be successful oneself . . . one's friends must fail.

Sex is. There is nothing more to be done about it. Sex builds no roads, writes no novels and sex certainly gives no meaning to anything in life but itself.

The problem with most Americans is that they don't like any question that takes more than ten seconds to answer.

I like Italy. I was always at home there, it's a marvelous place to become invisible. Nobody bothers you and nobody is interested in you and I find that very good for work.

Next to "I win," "I told you so" are the sweetest words.