The knowledge that she could learn to love a man had always meant more to her than loving him effortlessly, more even than falling in love, and that was why she now felt that she was on the threshold of a new life, a happiness bound to endure for a very long time.

The writers secret is not inspiration - for it is never clear where it comes from - it is his stubbornness, his patience.

The thing that binds us together is that we have both lowered our expectations of life

How different from the cosy world of Rüya's detective novels, where authors never vexed a hero with more signs than he needed.

No one drives me into exile, not even the nationalists.

Real museums are places where Time is transformed into Space.

Most of the time it's not the Europeans who belittle us. What happens when we look at them is that we belittle ourselves. When we undertake the pilgrimage, it's not just to escape the tyranny at home but also to reach to the depths of our souls. The day arrives when the guilty must return to save those who could not find the courage to leave.