personally I don't trust literature that soothes people's consciences.

I prefer insomnia to anaesthesia.

I vividly remember the stories my grandfather told me about the carnage of the First World War, which people tend to forget was one of the worst massacres in human history.

It's the job of intellectuals and writers to cast doubt on perfection.

I live quietly at home among my family and friends.

But democracy isn't a state of perfection. It has to be improved, and that means constant vigilance.

People with lots of doubts sometimes find life more oppressive and exhausting than others, but they're more energetic - they aren't robots.

But I don't think I have any particular talent for prediction, because when you have three or four elements in hand, you don't have to be a genius to reach certain conclusions.

There are some fundamental values it's impossible to be wrong about.

Eco sees the intellectual as an organizer of culture, someone who can run a magazine or a museum. An administrator, in fact. I think this is a melancholy situation for an intellectual.

Perfection spawns doctrines, dictators and totalitarian ideas.

Don’t mention me about your religion! Show me your heart! If you have the heart of an innocent child, you have the best religion, even if you are a nonbeliever!

Love your children while they are young. Because they grow up soon enough, and then… then the have no need of you.

The opportunity for brotherhood presents itself every time you meet a human being.

I have always believed that socially unacceptable men make much better lovers because they are more sensitive.

Even if I don't have the money to take vocal lessons, I'll practice in the house by myself singing out loud.

Music inspires me and puts me in the right mood, but to actually listen to it when I write - I find it gets in the way.

There's nothing worse than people who want to make you feel better when you are losing. I just want to smack them.

The only thing certain about any negotiation is that it will lead to another negotiation .

Everybody believes in innovation until they see it. Then they think, 'Oh, no; that'll never work. It's too different.'

They call it the Latin Quarter because nobody there is Latin and nobody has a quarter.