And no book, and possibly no painting, when it is finished, is ever exactly like the first dream of it.

If people have bought something of mine, they know by now that I will decline writing it for the movies

I find the public passion for justice quite boring and artificial.

I have Graham Greene's telephone number, but I wouldn't dream of using it. I don't seek out writers because we all want to be alone.

Dusk was falling quickly. It was just after 7 P.M., and the month was October.

I don't want to know movie directors. I don't want to be close to them. I don't want to interfere with their work. I don't want them to interfere with mine.

That wasn't a bad price for a first book. My agent upped it as much as possible. I was 27 and had nothing behind me. I was working like a fool to earn a living and pay for my apartment