It is psychologically very hard to go through life without the justification, and the hope, provided by religion.
Sometimes you say things with a smile with the precise intention of making it clear that you are not being serious, and are only kidding. If I salute a friend with a smile and say, 'How are you, you old scoundrel!' clearly I don't really mean he's a scoundrel.
Libraries can take the place of God.
We like lists because we don't want to die.
The question of manuscript changes is very important for literary criticism, the psychology of creation and other aspects of the study of literature.
Every European goes on the streets and sees medieval churches. Not if you live in Indianapolis. The most exciting letters I received were from people in places like that.
Every European goes on the streets and sees medieval churches. Not if you live in Indianapolis.
I developed a passion for the Middle Ages the same way some people develop a passion for coconuts.
The most interesting letters I received about 'The Name of the Rose' were from people in the Midwest that maybe didn't understand exactly, but wanted to understand more and who were excited by this picture of a world which was not their own.
In the United States there's a Puritan ethic and a mythology of success. He who is successful is good. In Latin countries, in Catholic countries, a successful person is a sinner.
There are more people than you think who want to have a challenging experience, in which they are obliged to reflect about the past.
Religion has nothing to do with God. It's a fundamental attitude of human beings, who ask about the origins of life and what happens after death. For many, the answer is a personal god. In my opinion, it's religion that produces God, not the other way round.
Beauty is boring because it is predictable.
Many people who no longer go to church end up falling prey to superstition.
I love the secrecy of writing fiction. When I write a novel, I don't tell anybody what I'm doing. I'm living in my private world. And it's a great sensation.
The mobile phone... is a tool for those whose professions require a fast response, such as doctors or plumbers.
It is a myth of publishers that people want to read easy things.
I think a book should be judged 10 years later, after reading and re-reading it.
My grandfather had a particularly important influence on my life, even though I didn't visit him often, since he lived about three miles out of town and he died when I was six. He was remarkably curious about the world, and he read lots of books.
When the poet is in love, he is incapable of writing poetry on love. He has to write when he remembers that he was in love.
