I never could get a proper job.

I don't take much notice of reviews now - obviously you'd like to have straight worship but you're never going to get that.

As suburbs go, Bromley's not bad. But as David Bowie and Hanif Kureishi have observed, you do want to get out of there quickly.

One of the reasons why I don't write the same kind of book again and again is that I get bored very easily, so I like to make things interesting for myself.

It's true, some senior Hungarian writers are not known for their laughter. There is a strong Germanic influence - an attitude that if it's enjoyable it can't possibly be literature.

Most books reviews aren't very well-written. They tend to be more about the reviewer than the book.