The existence of pleasure is the first mystery. The existence of pain has prompted far more philosophical speculation. Pleasure and pain need to be considered together; they are inseparable. Yet the space filled by each is perhaps different. Pleasure, defined as a sense of gratification, is essential for nature

In the modern world, in which thousands of people are dying every hour as a consequence of politics, no writing anywhere can begin to be credible unless it is informed by political awareness and principles. Writers who have neither product utopian trash.

If every event which occurred could be given a name, there would be no need for stories.

To be naked is to be oneself. To be nude is to be seen naked by others and yet not recognised for oneself.

Ours is the century of enforced travel of disappearances. The century of people helplessly seeing others, who were close to them, disappear over the horizon.

The past grows gradually around one, like a placenta for dying.

The autobiographical doesn't interest me. I could think of few things less interesting than rooting about in my life.