In various and different circumstances certain objects and individuals are going to turn out to be vital. The wager of survival cannot, by its nature, reveal which, in advance of events.

It was a miracle; it was all a miracle: and one ought to have known, from the sufferings of saints, that miracles are horror.

Certainly the people who are close to me are happier. They feel freer.

Written words still have the amazing power to bring out the best and worst of human nature

I decided that I wanted nothing to do with South African government television while any of my fellow writers were banned and couldn't speak publicly.

Writing is making sense of life.

If you live in Europe . . . things change . . . but continuity never seems to break. You don't have to throw the past away.