Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably appears in great literature: that men and women of all nations and places are essentially equal, and only injustice sows among them discrimination, fear, and exploitation.

I was very young and lived with my grandparents in a villa with white walls in the Calle Ocharan, in Miraflores.

The secret to happiness, at least to peace of mind, is knowing how to separate sex from love. And, if possible, eliminating romantic love from your life, which is the love that makes you suffer. That way, I assure you, you live with greater tranquility and enjoy things more.

I have been always fascinated and seduced by history, which I think is very close, very close to literature.

writing fiction is the best thing there is because absolutely everything is possible!

It isn't true that convicts live like animals: animals have more room to move around.

There are many things behind a good novel, but in particular there is a lot of work - a lot of patience, a lot of stubbornness, and a critical spirit.