Novels are not about expressing yourself, they're about something beautiful, funny, clever and organic. Self-expression ? Go and ring a bell in a yard if you want to express yourself.

Without the balancing context of everyday life, all you have is the news, and news by its nature is generally bad.

In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set, received—the concession people always beg for: a little more time.

(and Catholics give out forgiveness at about the same rate as politicians give out promises and whores give out)

You must live life with the full knowledge that your actions will remain. We are creatures of consequence.

He traced the genealogy of the feeling.

Any woman who counts on her face is a fool.