Paul Theroux Quotes

In Turkey it was always 1952, in Malaysia 1937; Afghanistan was 1910 and Bolivia 1949. It is twenty years ago in the Soviet Union, ten in Norway, five in France. It is always last year in Australia and next week in Japan.

Like a lower form of life, like the cross-eyed planarian or squashed amoeba, the sort of creature that can’t die even when it is cut to pieces.

I went to Vietnam to take the train: people have done stranger things in that country.

Nothing happens in Burma, but then nothing is expected to happen.

Extensive travelling induces a feeling of encapsulation, and travel, so broadening at first, contracts the mind.

You can’t write about a friend, you can only write about a former friend.

When I write about my childhood I think, oh my God, how did I ever get from there to here? Not that any great thing has happened to me. But I felt so tiny, so lost.

When I went to Hong Kong, I knew at once I wanted to write a story set there.

When I was in the Peace Corps I never made a phone call. I was in Central Africa; I didn’t make a phone call for two years. I was in Uganda for another four years and I didn’t make a phone call. So for six years I didn’t make a phone call, but I wrote letters, I wrote short stories, I wrote books.

When I started writing, I did have some idealised notion of my dad as a writer. But I have less and less of a literary rivalry with him as I’ve gone on. I certainly don’t feel I need his approval, although maybe that’s because I’m confident that I’ve got it.

When I left Africa in 1966 it seemed to me to be a place that was developing, going in a particular direction, and I don’t think that is the case now. And it’s a place where people still kid themselves – you know, in a few years this will happen or that will happen. Well, it’s not going to happen. It’s never going to happen.

When I began to make some money, I really wanted to have a home.

Travel works best when you’re forced to come to terms with the place you’re in.

The pleasure a reader gets is often equal to the pleasure a writer is given.

The people of Hong Kong are criticized for only being interested in business, but it’s the only thing they’ve been allowed to do.