I've been a foreigner for the past twenty years. I don't have roots anymore. My roots are in my memory and my writing. That's why memory is so important. Who are you but what you can remember?

...when everything else fails, we communicate in the language of the stars

The fact people think that when you sell a lot of books you are not a serious writer is a great insult to the readership. I get a little angry when people try to say such a thing.

Real soup is to the body what peace is to the soul.

I'm surrounded by young people. I'm always now the oldest and the shortest person in the room.

This is to assuage our conscience, darling" she would explain to Blanca. "But it doesn't help the poor. They don't need chartiy; they need justice.

Writing is like making love. Don't worry about the orgasm, just concentrate on the process.