Never do I close my door behind me without being conscious that I am carrying out an act of charity towards myself.

She was transparent, like a watercolor. As if she were about to dissolve in sound, in tones not yet created.

Never do I close my door behind me without being conscious that I am carrying out an act of charity towards myself.

When you're young, you think that sex is the culmination of intimacy. Later you discover that it's barely the beginning.

When my mother didn't come back I realized that any moment could be the last. Nothing in life should simply be a passage from one place to another. Each walk should be taken as if it is the only thing you have left. You can demand something like this of yourself as an unattainable ideal. After that, you have to remind yourself about it every time you're sloppy about something. For me that means 250 times a day.

There is one way to understand another culture. Living it. Move into it, ask to be tolerated as a guest, learn the language.

There's a look of mischief in his eyes. 'Smilla. Why is it that such an elegant and petite girl like you has such a rough voice.' I'm sorry,' I say, 'if I give you the impression that it is only my mouth that's rough. I do my best to be rough all over.