There are often references to childhood, but they're rarely the focus of the [my] novels.

Every life is inexplicable, I kept telling myself. No matter how many facts are told, no matter how many details are given, the essential thing resists telling. To say that so and so was born here and went there, that he did this and did that, that he married this woman and had these children, that he lived, that he died, that he left behind these books or this battle or that bridge – none of that tells us very much.

Changing your mind is probably one of the most beautiful things people can do. And I've changed my mind about a lot of things over the years.

In fact, writing, especially writing autobiographical works, and this is actually the fourth time I've done it, each time I've done it I've felt deeply immersed in the material as I'm doing it, and then it's over and everything is the same.

I've learned not to look at reviews. Early on, I did. I was always curious.

I never feel I'm standing on solid ground, and I do write with a certain kind of trembling fear.

I barely can go shopping for clothes. I find it difficult to walk into stores. The whole thing bores me so much.