Much of the time life is a sort of rhythmic progression of three characters. If one tells oneself that life is like that, one feels it less arbitrary.

Writing is a question of finding a certain rhythm. I compare it to the rhythms of jazz. Much of the time life is a sort of rhythmic progression of three characters. If one tells oneself that life is like that, one feels it less arbitrary.

I've tried very hard and I've never found any resemblance between the people I know and the people in my novels.

I've read Proust and Stendhal. That keeps you in your place.

After Proust, there are certain things that simply cannot be done again. He marks off for you the boundaries of your talent.