Georges Simenon

"Writing is not a profession but a vocation of unhappiness. I don't think an artist can ever be happy."

"The fact that we are I don't know how many millions of people, yet communication, complete communication, is completely impossible between two of those people, is to me one of the biggest tragic themes in the world."

"Fellini, je crois que, dans ma vie, j'ai été plus Casanova que vous! J'ai fait le calcul, il ya un an ou deux. J’ai eu dix mille femmes depuis l’âge de treize ans et demi. Ce n’ést pas du tout un vice. Je n’ai aucun vice sexuel, mais j’avais besoin de communiquer."

"I never read contemporary fiction – with one exception: the works of Simenon concerned with Inspector Maigret."