I have always thought, the secret purpose of the book tour is to make the writer hate the book he's written. And, as a result, drive him to write another book.

The only way of living in a free society is to feel that you have the right to say and do stuff.

For me, what I've always seen in writers and artists is the courage it takes to make an original work of art. I think the real risks in literature are linguistic and intellectual, and I hope we can highlight those, as well as political courage.

A book is a product of a pact with the Devil that inverts the Faustian contract, he'd told Allie. Dr Faustus sacrificed eternity in return for two dozen years of power; the writer agrees to the ruination of his life, and gains (but only if he's lucky) maybe not eternity, but posterity, at least. Either way (this was Jumpy's point) it's the Devil who wins.

Believe in your own eyes and you'll get into a lot of trouble, hot water, a mess.

I write books I'd enjoy reading, I'm the reader standing behind my shoulder.

There are things you break that can't be put back together again. And Kashmir may be one of them.