She was doing it because she had nothing to lose, because her life was one of constant, day to day frustration.

Every new book is a challenge. I could, of course, have stopped many years ago if it was only for money. But no, it is about building bridges among cultures, different cultures... When you want someone to understand something that is not forcefully in your culture, you use stories.

The enemy is only a pretext to test our strength

Everything for me is sacred, beginning with earth, but also going to things made by man.

Shine without guilt. Modesty was invented by the mediocres who think you should be the same as them.

..there is nothing worse than the feeling that no one cares whether we exist or not, that no one is interested in what we have to say about life, and that the world can continue turning without our awkward presence. I began to imagine how many millions of people were, at that moment, feeling utterly useless and wretched—however rich, charming, and delightful they might be—because they were alone that night, as they were yesterday, and as they might well be tomorrow.

Excessive caution destroys the soul and the heart, because living is an act of courage, and an act of courage is always an act of love.