"A book is a collaboration between a writer and a reader. The writer provides the words, but the reader provides the meaning."

"The Satanic Verses is a novel about migration, metamorphosis, divided selves, love, death, London, and Bombay. It is a serious work of literature."

"The purpose of art is to hold a mirror up to nature, and sometimes that mirror is distorted."

"I'm a great believer in the power of the imagination."

"The world is a cacophony of voices, and it's the writer's job to make sense of it."