Amin Maalouf

You can't say history teaches us this or that; it gives us more questions than answers, and many answers to every question.

During my youth, the idea of moving from Lebanon was unthinkable. Then I began to realise I might have to go, like my grandfather, uncles and others who left for America, Egypt, Australia, Cuba.

I come from no country, from no city, no tribe. I am the son of the road... all tongues and all prayers belong to me. But I belong to none of them.

New York has been the subject of thousands of books. Every immigrant group has had its saga as has every epoch and social class.

It's hard to imagine anyone interested in film not being a fan of Alfred Hitchcock because he's such a key influence on the entire history of cinema - it's hard to escape his shadow.

I was a daydreamer. Teachers kept telling me to pay attention.