I don't want to be a tree; I want to be its meaning.

East and West are coming together. Whether in peace or anarchy - they are coming together. There needn't be a clash between East and West, between Islam and Europe.

I believe strongly in an author's moral responsibility. But his first obligation is to write good books.

I need a moment of time for myself every day, like a child playing with his things. When I travel, I routinely find a quiet place, open my diary and write something in it.

When something explosive is kept hidden away, a tension builds within that must ultimately be released.

Try to discover who I am from my choice of words and colors, as attentive people like yourselves might examine footprints to catch a thief.

When you look into the faces of these quiet creatures who don't know how to tell stories--who are mute, who can't make themselves heard, who fade into the woodwork, who only think of the perfect answer after the fact, after they're back at home, who can never think of a story that anyone else will find interesting--is there not more depth and more meaning in them? You can see every letter of every untold story swimming on their faces, and all the signs of silence, dejection, and even defeat. You can even imagine your own face in those faces, can't you?