Transported to a different culture, thought often loses its subtlety and can even rampage like a wild beast.

Art is not democratic. Art is sublime.

In a totally dysfunctional society, the profession of a writer would not exist.

Writers are writing in every corner of the globe.Writers are writing, moreover, in rich countries and poor countries alike.

One's identity derives not from one's nation or blood but from the language one uses.

waging war against inane language that circulates almost automatically is a writer's eternal mission, and the day will never come when this battles are unnecessary.

Weakness is not a characteristic you want to share with the world

If you can't bring yourself to applaud because the performance was lousy, then applaud because it's over. They tried.

What a folly to dread the thought of throwing away life at once and yet have no regard to throwing it away by parcels and piecemeal.

It is bad luck for world history that of all people the Russians adopted Communism, because they are totally unfit for it.

If you don't read poetry how the hell can you solve equations?

I sat. And I thought. And the more I thought, connecting the events in my life, the more my heart collapsed.

If I'm going to an event I make sure I plan ahead so that I don't have a fashion crisis.

I'm not alone, I'm free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody.

Hearts don't come when Reason whistles to 'em.

We have to fight for our freedoms, also, economic and our national security freedoms.