"Only by pursuing the extremes in one's nature, with all its contradictions, appetites, aversions, rages, can one hope…"

"No one, but no one, ever behaves "well" in bed unless they love or are loved — two conditions seldom fulfilled."

"Love is worth whatever it costs."

"For me writing is a question of finding a certain rhythm. I compare it to the rhythms of jazz. Much of the time life …"

"I don’t search for exactitude in portraying people. I try to give to imaginary people a kind of veracity. It would bo…"

"Art must take reality by surprise. It takes those moments which are for us merely a moment, plus a moment, plus anoth…"

"Of course the illusion of art is to make one believe that great literature is very close to life, but exactly the opp…"

"I never make moral judgments. All I would say is that a person was droll, or gay, or, above all, a bore. Making judgm…"

"Very broadly, I think one writes and rewrites the same book. I lead a character from book to book, I continue along w…"

""One must cherish one's effigies, if one can tolerate them, perhaps more lovingly than one cherishes one's intrinsic …"