Throughout my career I've struggled to encourage people to read my books on a more metaphorical level. I'm less attached to my settings than, for example, Saul Bellow. The setting of a novel for me is just a part of… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it. — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
As a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened. — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
“About him and his wife voting for different parties. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable.” “No doubt.” “Quite extraordinary the things that happen now. But that’s what’s meant by democracy, I suppose.” Ogata-San gave a sigh. “These things we’ve learnt so eagerly from the Americans, they aren’t always to the good.” “No, indeed they’re not.” — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share
“But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? One could presumably drive oneself to distraction in this way. In any case, while it is all very well to talk of 'turning points', one can surely only recognize such moments in retrospect. Naturally, when one looks back to… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share
“Silence is just as likely to indicate the most profound ideas forming, the deepest energies being summoned.” — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
“I don't know why, but it didn't seem an option for more than one of us to storm off, and I wanted to make… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
Our family arrived in England in 1960. At that time I thought the war was ancient history. But if I think of 15 years… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at least. As for myself, I cannot even claim that. You see, I trusted. I trusted in his lorship's wisdom. All those years I served him, I trusted I was doing something worthwhile. I can't even say… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share
“For however one may come in later years to reassess one’s achievements, it is always a consolation to know that one’s life has contained… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
You're always in a rush, or else you're too exhausted to have a proper conversation. Soon enough, the long hours, the traveling, the broken… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
I don't think it's any fun, even if you are one of the most respected authors in the world like Margaret Atwood, to keep… — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
I think it's quite difficult to understand what kind of life a writer leads. They might be millionaires, or they might be starving people. — Kazuo Ishiguro Copy Share Image
