A reactionary is someone who wants to return to a previous state - that's never a possibility in my books. For me,… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
This progressive effacement of human relationships is not without certain problems for the novel. How, in point of fact, would one handle… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“The academic study of literature leads basically nowhere, as we all know, unless you happen to be an especially gifted student, in… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
Life is painful and disappointing. It is useless, therefore, to write new realistic novels. We generally know where we stand in relation… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
I hadn’t seen any novel make the statement that entering the workforce was like entering the grave. That from then on, nothing… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
The great advantage of a novel is you can put in whatever comes into your head - it has the same shape… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“In the presence of a reader of Teilhard De Chardin I feel disarmed, nonplussed, ready to break down in tears.” — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
Not having anything around to read is dangerous: you have to content yourself with life itself, and that can lead you to… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
I think it's more difficult to live without a religion, definitely. — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
I think that if writers don't speak about real life, it's because they don't know it. — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“In my life, I had known suffering, oppression, anxiety; I had never known boredom. I could see no objection to the endless, imbecile repetition… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
I admit that invective is one of my pleasures. This only brings me problems in life, but that's it. I attack, I insult. I… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“... I spent whole afternoons at Bon Marché looking at pullovers, there was no sense in going on like that.” — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
I've lived so little that I tend to imagine I'm not going to die; it seems improbable that human existence can be reduced to… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
Rumor had it that he was homosexual; in reality, in recent years, he was simply a garden-variety alcoholic. — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“He doesn't know it yet, but the infinity of childhood is brief.” — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“Olga was nice, Olga was nice and loving, Olga loved him, he repeated to himself with a growing sadness as he also realised that… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“The problem is, it's just not enough to live according to the rules. Sure, you manage to live according to the rules. Sometimes it's… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image
“Life sometimes offers you a chance, he thought, but when you are too cowardly or too indecisive to seize it life takes the cards… — Michel Houellebecq Copy Share Image