I often worry that my idea of personhood is nostalgic, irrational, inaccurate.

Generally, women can't do this, but men retain the ancient ability to leave a family and a past. They just unhook themselves, like removing a fake beard, and skulk discreetly back into society, changed men. Unrecognizable.

English writing tends to fall into two categories - the big, baggy epic novel or the fairly controlled, tidy novel. For a long time, I was a fan of the big, baggy novel, but there's definitely an advantage to having a little bit more control.

I wrote 'White Teeth' in the late nineties. I didn't really feel trepidatious about it. It was a different time.

I'm very attracted to exile literature - particularly Nabokov - exactly because the idea of being away from home for any serious length of time is so inconceivable to me.

I never bought the idea of individual genius from which the novel spews forth. It's always an act of curation.

I don't keep any copies of my books in the house - they go to my mum's flat. I don't like them around.