These are days when no one should rely unduly on his competence. Strength lies in improvisation. All the decisive blows are struck left-handed.

To do justice to the figure of Kafka in its purity and its peculiar beauty one must never lose sight of one thing: it is the purity and beauty of a failure.

It is only for the sake of those without hope that hope is given to us.

Gifts must affect the receiver to the point of shock.

Our image of happiness is indissolubly bound up with the image of redemption.

It is only for those without hope that hope is given.