As citizens, we all have an obligation to intervene and become involved - it's the citizen who changes things.

I am a person with leftist convictions, and always have been.

Look what happened with the employment law in France-the law was withdrawn because the people marched in the streets. I think what we need is a global protest movement of people who won't give up.

We've all had our moments of weakness, and if we manage to get through today without any, we'll be sure to have some tomorrow.

There are such moments in life, when, in order for heaven to open, it is necessary for a door to close.

The painter paints, the musician makes music, the novelist writes novels. But I believe that we all have some influence, not because of the fact that one is an artist, but because we are citizens.

A writer is a man like any other: he dreams. And my dream was to be able to say of this book, when I finished: 'This is a book about Alentejo.'