I read the Odyssey because it was the story of a man who returned home after being absent for more than twenty years and was recognized only by his dog.

I don't much believe in the idea of characters. I write with words, that is all. Whether those words are put in the mouth of this or that character does not matter to me

Writing for me, even what you call serious writing, is play.

I was able to read a movie before I was able to read a book

I first came out against Castro in June 1968, fifteen months after my book had been published, and you cannot imagine how quickly a void was created around me

Writers rush in where publishers fear to tread and where translators fear to tread

I think writers rush in where everybody is very frightened to tread