"The most poignant thing in the story, for me, is that the priest has had a child. He wants to repent, but how can you find salvation when you can't hate the sin? He's stuck in that paradox."
"The descriptions of 19th-century Sicily were written with such melancholy, honesty, and lack of sentimentality that I found myself thinking this era was the most important thing."
"I'm not a great believer in sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop throughout your life as a spiritual quest.What I find interesting is how an enormous spiritual journey unfolds in the banality of life"
"I'm haunted by the heat he describes, by the smells, which are always revolting. I know that's a strange reason to be attracted to an author, but I love it when writing is as potent as it is here."
"I don't think I’ve ever read such descriptions of what it would be like to lose your grip. He has a vision that makes you less sure of your surroundings — and I find that stimulating."
