Contemporary Britain seems an endlessly fascinating place to me - but if I knew a little bit more about other places, and other times, maybe it wouldn't. Jonathan Coe bitebritaincontemporary Change image and share on social
My only regret is that I signed away the world rights and in America they've been far and away my most successful books, but I never saw a cent from any of it. Jonathan Coe americabookcent Change image and share on social
You would go mad if you began to speculate about the impact your novel might have while you were still writing it. Jonathan Coe beginimpactmad Change image and share on social
But I have always - ever since The Accidental Woman - written novels about individuals attempting to make choices in the context of situations over which they have no control. Jonathan Coe accidentalattemptchoice Change image and share on social
The biggest markets for my books outside the UK are France and Italy, and those are the two countries where I also have the closest personal relationships with my translators - I don't know whether that's a coincidence, or if there's something to be learned from it. Jonathan Coe bigbookclose share on social
But you can try to read books at the wrong time or for the wrong reasons. Jonathan Coe bookreadreason Change image and share on social
The writer I feel the most affinity with - you said you felt my books are 19th century novels, I think they're 18th century novels - is Fielding, Henry Fielding, he's the guy who does it for me. Jonathan Coe 18th19thaffinity Change image and share on social
Writers never feel comfortable having labels attached to them, however accurate they are. Jonathan Coe accurateattachcomfortable Change image and share on social
As the books grew bigger and more ambitious, the situations in question sometimes became political ones, and so it became necessary to start painting in the social background on a scale which eventually became panoramic. Jonathan Coe ambitiousbackgroundbig share on social
But we are entitled to look for continuity in politics. Jonathan Coe continuityentitlepolitic Change image and share on social
