“You need to start making an effort,” Richard said. “There’s a thing called the gay scene nowadays. It happens in large cities – London, Manchester, er, wherever.” — Philip Hensher Copy Share Image
“Previously, gay life had seemed a merry series of cabinet reshuffles and rearrangements, in which everyone was single for a time, then paired off… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
I think you can tell when you meet someone whether they read novels. There's some hollowness if they don't. — Philip Hensher Copy Share
The Humbling is not vintage Roth, despite its compelling premise. The bizarre series of episodes -- mostly sexual encounters with women -- which make… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“The thing I truly object to,” Kitty said, “and I know this sounds trivial and I don’t care if it sounds a bit snobbish,… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
It [fiction] allows us to see the world from the point of view of someone else and there has been quite a lot of… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“It’s material deprivation that starts all this off.” “They’ve got dishwashers, Miranda,” Billa said. “They’re not examples of material deprivation.” — Philip Hensher Copy Share
I think you can tell, when you meet someone, whether they read novels or not. There is some little hollowness if they don't. — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“Depressing realization sets in. Writing was invented not by human beings but by accountants. Most of the early writing systems are records of how… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“You need to start making an effort,” Richard said. “There’s a thing called the gay scene nowadays. It happens in large cities – London,… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“... something very unusual, a chocolate-flavoured log of goats’ cheese. “Made by lesbians in Wales,” Sam had explained superfluously.” — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“It happened to some people, that obsession with throwing their clothes off at an age when it would be best to keep them on.” — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“Why do we say ‘the cockles of your heart’?” David said. “Nothing to do with whelks, I suppose.” — Philip Hensher Copy Share
“If you don't say anything it can't become important, but if you say it everyone's ever after got to walk round it like a… — Philip Hensher Copy Share
