Fundamentalists believe that we don't believe in anything. In their view of the world, they are in possession of absolute certainties, while we are descending into decadence. We will be able to triumph over terrorism not by waging war on it, but through a conscious, fearless way of life.

In the movies, the writer is just the servant, the employee.

What I do think is evident is that those countries in the world where Islamic extremism has recovered the most power, those are also the countries which are most disliked.

The only way to find out why someone decides to engage in armed combat is to look at their individual personality.

Once you get that instinct for the fictiveness, the fictionality of fiction, it kind of sets you free.

I'd wanted to create a storm so that I could become more famous and richer.

I don't like books that play to the gallery, but I've become more concerned with telling a story as clearly and engagingly as I can.