"I love the smell of books, and the feel of them. I love the texture of the paper, the way the pages crinkle, and the sound they make when you turn them."

"It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting creature you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful."

"Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog."

"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face …"

"The life of a writer is absolute hell compared with the life of a businessman."