I have written every one of my novels to convince somebody of something.

I locate that special problem in a character and then try to understand it. That's the genesis of all my work.

I didn't choose literature. Literature chose me. There was no decision on my side.

In a country like France, so ancient, their history is full of outstanding people, so they carry a heavy weight on their back. Who could write in French after Proust or Flaubert?

It's essential not to have an ideology, not to be a member of a political party. While the writer can have certain political views, he has to be careful not to have his hands tied.

Book reviews have never helped me. Most of them erred in their interpretations and their work has been a waste of time.

Modern American cinema seems to me superficial. The intention is to understand a certain reality, and the result is nothing but a photographing of that reality.