You keep thinking that with practice you will eventually get the knack of enjoying superficial encounters, that you will stop looking for the universal solvent, stop grieving. You will learn to compound happiness out of small increments of mindless pleasure.

I like the fact that I'm living in the world rather than in a university.

Great minds sink alike, right?

I'm a romantic; you have to be to marry four times.

We've been hearing about the death of the novel ever since the day after Don Quixote was published.

I don't want to have my life fall apart for my work.

There is a shabby nobility in failing all by yourself.