No male writer is likely to be asked to sit on a panel addressing itself to the special problems of a male writer.

Jimmy found himself wishing to make a dent in Crake, get a reaction; it was one of his weaknesses, to care what other people thought of him.

Falling in love, although it resulted in altered body chemistry and was therefore real, was a hormonally induced delusional state, according to him. In addition it was humiliating, because it put you at a disadvantage, it gave the love object too much power. As for sex per se, it lacked both challenge and novelty, and was on the whole a deeply imperfect solution to the problem of intergenerational genetic transfer.

Truly amazing, what people can get used to, as long as there are a few compensations.

I am too old to have ever been very worried about what "genre" any given book of mine might be. I read everything. I am easily amused.

If I am good enough and quiet enough, perhaps after all they will let me go; but it’s not easy being quiet and good, it’s like hanging on to the edge of a bridge when you’ve already fallen over; you don’t seem to be moving, just dangling there, and yet it is taking all your strength.

All you have to do, I tell myself, is keep your mouth shut and look stupid. It shouldn't be that hard.