Just because a man glances up at the sky at night does not make him an astronomer, you know.

The dot that became a speck that became a blob that became a figure that became a boy

The thing about exploring is that you have to know whether the thing you've found is worth finding. Some things are just sitting there, minding their own business, waiting to be discovered. Like America. And other things are probably better off left alone. Like a dead mouse at the back of the cupboard.

I can't bear to be on a train without a book", she announced. " It's a form of self-defence in a way" .

Bruno: We're not supposed to be friends, you and me. We're meant to be enemies. Did you know that?

It's not easy making a living as a writer, and for many years I worked at a Waterstones in Dublin. It was a good environment for an aspiring writer, with lots of events and authors appearing.

In his heart, he knew that there was no reason to be impolite to someone, even if they did work for you. There was such a thing as manners after all.