I recall drinking sherry in California and dreaming of England, where I ate dalmoth and dreamed of Delhi. What is the purpose, I wonder, of all this restlessness? I sometimes seem to myself to wander around the world merely accumulating material for future nostalgias.

I don't pick and choose subjects or settings; they pick and choose me.

For a writer, obsession is a good substitute for self-discipline.

You know, I can imagine not writing a novel and writing poetry only.

I think goodness is about how person behaves to person, and also person to world, to nature.

I just love music - by no stretch of the imagination am I professionally competent.

I think if something is worth doing, it's worth doing well. And worth thinking about it as well.