The realization that he is white in a black country, and respected for it, is the turning point in the expatriates career. He can either forget it, or capitalize on it. Most choose the latter. – Paul Theroux
A travel book is about someone who goes somewhere, travels on the ground, sees something and spends quite a lot of time doing it, and has a hard time, and then comes back and writes about it. Its not about inventing. – Paul Theroux
Friendship is also about liking a person for their failings, their weakness. Its also about mutual help, not about exploitation. – Paul Theroux
Tourists dont know where theyve been, travelers dont know where theyre going. – Paul Theroux
We make a mistake forsaking England and moving out into the periphery of life. After all, Taormina, Ceylon, Africa, America — as far as we go, they are only the negation of what we ourselves stand for and are: and were rather like Jonahs running away from the place we belong. – D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence