I suppose Im proudest of my novels for whats imagined in them. I think the world of my imagination is a richer and more interesting place than my personal biography. – John Irving
And I find – Im 63, and my capacity to be by myself and just spend time by myself hasnt diminished any. Thats the necessary part of being a writer, you better like being alone. – John Irving
I take people very seriously. People are all I take seriously, in fact. Therefore, I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave – and nothing but laughter to console them with. – John Irving
The building of the architecture of a novel – the craft of it – is something I never tire of. – John Irving
The mark of solitude is silence, as speech is the mark of community. Silence and speech have the same inner correspondence and difference as do solitude and community. One does not exist without the other. Right speech comes out of silence, and right silence comes out of speech. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer