When you start a political party, you are creating space for yourself. So many people were shocked when they realized that I was serious and had no interest in occupying any political position, so they started to fall out one by one.

The novel, for me, was an accident. I really don't consider myself a novelist.

Colonialism bred an innate arrogance, but when you undertake that sort of imperial adventure, that arrogance gives way to a feeling of accommodativeness. You take pride in your openness.

Mythology can be used, and has been used, even to re-state, you know, the very urgent problems of the world.

Writers who open up horizons for other people are performing a function every bit as important as a consciously politicized writer.

Governance can dig itself into a huge hole and not even know it's in there.

But the ultimate lesson is just sit down and write. That's all.