If to live is to progress, if you are lucky, from foolishness to wisdom, then to write novels is to broadcast the various stages of your foolishness. – Jane Smiley
I was an only child. Ive known only children. From this experience, I do believe that the children should outnumber the parents. – Jane Smiley
When a novel has 200,000 words, then it is possible for the reader to experience 200,000 delights, and to turn back to the first page of the book and experience them all over again, perhaps more intensely. – Jane Smiley
Somehow, knowing that Alzheimers is coming mocks all ones aspirations – to tell stories, to think through certain issues as only a novel can do, to be recognised for ones accomplishments and hard work – in a way that old familiar death does not. – Jane Smiley