Deep rivers run quiet.

I can't imagine how American readers will react to a novel, but if the story is appealing it doesn't matter much if you don't catch all the detail. I'm not too familiar with the geography of nineteenth century London, for instance, but I still enjoy reading Dickens.

People soon get tired of things that aren't boring, but not of what is boring.

The curious thing about individuals is that their singularity always goes beyond any category or generalization in the book.

The body is not the only target of rape. Violence does not always take a visible form, and not all wounds gush blood.

It was a small room with dim light coming in the window, reminiscent of old Polish films.

What’s most important is what you can’t see but can feel in your heart. To be able to grasp something of value, sometimes you have to perform seemingly inefficient acts. But even activities that appear fruitless don’t necessarily end up so. That’s the feeling I have, as someone who’s felt this, who’s experienced it.