Quotes from Tibor Fischer


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I'm not the most prolific writer in the world, and, sadly, writing a novel involves a lot of effort.


You can't really win as a Booker judge. If you choose the obvious names, the unit-shifters, you're accused of being timid and unimaginative; if you choose the unfamous, you're labelled willful and perverse.


One of the reasons why I don't write the same kind of book again and again is that I get bored very easily, so I like to make things interesting for myself.


Most Hungarians know what it was to live in a dictatorship; some are old enough to have known both fascism and communism. No one wants to go back to that.


I went to a British Council event a while back and there were lots of German professors of literature. About half of them were convinced I had a German sense of humour and the other half were sure it was British. They are probably still arguing about it now.


As an author, I realise, you're on your own. You have to do everything you can to help The Book. If I make sure people know it's out there, they can make up their own minds whether they want to read it.


Usually, when you make a decision in life, unless you have access to parallel universes, you can't truly judge how right that decision was.


Ultimately, it's about the quality of the writing whatever style you are writing.


There's prejudice and poverty in Hungary as there is in every country.


The way British publishing works is that you go from not being published no matter how good you are, to being published no matter how bad you are.


No one wants a masterpiece knocking around when your own book is looking for attention.


New York City has fantastic restaurants and, unlike London, a lot of the best restaurants are relatively cheap.


Most books reviews aren't very well-written. They tend to be more about the reviewer than the book.


It's what the reader thinks that counts.


You don't really have to go anywhere in particular in New York City to have a good time. In every part of town, there's always something going on. It helps to know people there, too, because everything changes so fast, and they will be able to point out what's hot this month.


I never could get a proper job.


I don't take much notice of reviews now - obviously you'd like to have straight worship but you're never going to get that.


A public role endures for the literary high-command, as sages and seers, speaking out on social and political issues.


Miami, in many ways, is a quintessentially American city. The juxtaposition of showy wealth with dire pennilessness, the tussle of glitz and decay doesn't come any more marked than here.


It's true, some senior Hungarian writers are not known for their laughter. There is a strong Germanic influence - an attitude that if it's enjoyable it can't possibly be literature.