Tibor Fischer Quotes

No one wants a masterpiece knocking around when your own book is looking for attention.

No amount of intelligence can save you from stupidity.

I never could get a proper job.

As suburbs go, Bromley's not bad. But as David Bowie and Hanif Kureishi have observed, you do want to get out of there quickly.

Miami, in many ways, is a quintessentially American city. The juxtaposition of showy wealth with dire pennilessness, the tussle of glitz and decay doesnt come any more marked than here.

Even those with unspendable fortunes only have one mind, one mouth, two ears, two eyes and one pleasure station. There's only so much fun you can take.

I don't take much notice of reviews now - obviously you'd like to have straight worship but you're never going to get that.

It's true, some senior Hungarian writers are not known for their laughter. There is a strong Germanic influence - an attitude that if it's enjoyable it can't possibly be literature.

Why is erasing desire seen as so important? If the subjugation of the self is the point of the self what's the point in having a self? It's like someone handing you a leaflet which says throw this leaflet away.

Stay cool, and wait for opportunity.

Criticism is part of being in the marketplace. If you can't take a bit of criticism, you shouldn't bother publishing a book.

As an author, I realise, you're on your own. You have to do everything you can to help The Book. If I make sure people know it's out there, they can make up their own minds whether they want to read it.

The way British publishing works is that you go from not being published no matter how good you are, to being published no matter how bad you are.

A public role endures for the literary high-command, as sages and seers, speaking out on social and political issues.

Ultimately, it's about the quality of the writing whatever style you are writing.

Few pleasures are greater than knowing you can close your door, ignore the world and create your own.

I went to a British Council event a while back and there were lots of German professors of literature. About half of them were convinced I had a German sense of humour and the other half were sure it was British. They are probably still arguing about it now.

You don't really have to go anywhere in particular in New York City to have a good time. In every part of town, there's always something going on. It helps to know people there, too, because everything changes so fast, and they will be able to point out what's hot this month.

One of my proudest achievements is that when an authoritative book about Hungarian literature came out about a decade ago, there was a little article about me which said I was a Hungarian writer but pretending not to be. Bearing in mind I can hardly write a cheque in Hungarian, I was delighted to be included in the pantheon of Hungarian writers.

I always consider every place worth exploring once- just in case there's a thirty foot flaming sign divulging the secret of life, that no one has told me about.

It's what the reader thinks that counts.

Like most men, I'm a life support system for a phallus.

The greatest danger of being gifted, is that you may never learn how to make an effort.

Most books reviews aren't very well-written. They tend to be more about the reviewer than the book.

Once you've been backstage at a theater, the theater is never the same for you. Once you've noticed the crack in the vase, the vase is never the same for. Once you've seen a friend do something appalling, the friendship is never the same. That does not mean you won't go to the theater, or keep the vase or the friend. You can choose.

New York City has fantastic restaurants and, unlike London, a lot of the best restaurants are relatively cheap.