People don't realize how much they are in the grip of ideas. We live among ideas much more than we live in nature.

You're all alone when you're a writer. Sometimes you just feel you need a humanity bath. Even a ride on the subway will do that. But it's much more interesting to talk about books. After all, that's what life used to be for writers: they talk books, politics, history, America. Nothing has replaced that.

I think that art has something to do with an arrest of attention in the midst of distraction.

I pretended not to understand. One of life's hardest jobs, to make a quick understanding slow. I think I succeeded, thought Herzog.

The first undressing of two lovers is a most special event.

Unfortunately for the betterment of mankind it is not always the fair-minded who are in the right.

I feel that art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos.