I often wonder if I had the complete freedom to not have to write, if I would write. That's the one mystery that I hope I get to experience.

Mortality applies to every aspect of life. The fear of death is the driving fear of life.

As a young man, I felt a need to communicate with somebody or something, but it seemed in my own particular environment that that wasn't an option. On the other hand, I probably lacked the courage to do so, even if it was an option.

When I was young, I kept trying to read 'Moby-Dick', and I couldn't get that far into it. And I kept thinking, 'Well, man, if I can't read the great American novel, I could never be a writer.' And this bothered me a great deal.