We imagine things — that we wouldn't be able to survive, but in fact, we do survive. ... We have no choice, so we do it.

When I am near the end of a book, I have to sleep in the same room with it.

Short stories demand a certain awareness of one's own intentions, a certain narrowing of the focus.

Time is the school in which we learn.

The wind shows us how close to the edge we are.

Somehow writing has always seemed to me to have an element of performance.

I read so ravenously that I would read through whole categories. I was crazy about reading biographies. [...] I think biographies are very urgent to children.