Indeed, I am repeatedly astonished by the number of really good writers who understand human beings so well on paper but don't know how to deal with them in real life. Mark Haddon astonishbeingdeal Change image and share on social
From a good book, I want to be taken to the very edge. I want a glimpse into that outer darkness. Mark Haddon bookdarknessedge Change image and share on social
It took me a long time to come out as someone who doesn't like film. It's a bit like when people say they don't like books: you get that sharp intake of breath. Mark Haddon bitebookbreath Change image and share on social
I like poetry when I don't quite understand why I like it. Poetry isn't just a question of wrapping something up and giving it to someone else to unwrap. It just doesn't work like that. Mark Haddon givepoetryquestion Change image and share on social
I think the U.K. is too small to write about from within it and still make it seem foreign and exotic and interesting. Mark Haddon exoticforeigninterest Change image and share on social
My best days do seem like a distillation of all that was best about school. Write a story! Paint a picture! Write a poem! Make a print! Mark Haddon daydistillationmake Change image and share on social
Humour and high seriousness... Perfect bedfellows, I think. Though I usually phrase it in terms of comedy and darkness. Comedy without darkness rapidly becomes trivial. And darkness without comedy rapidly becomes unbearable. Mark Haddon bedfellowcomedydarkness share on social
When I was writing for children, I was writing genre fiction. It was like making a good chair. However beautiful it looked, it needed four legs of the same length, it had to be the right height and it had to be comfortable. Mark Haddon beautifulchairchild share on social
With English literature, if you do a bit of shonky spelling, no one dies, but if you're half-way through a maths calculation and you stick in an extra zero, everything just crashes into the ravine. Mark Haddon bitecalculationcrash Change image and share on social
There was a time in my life when I was going in and out of houses that were extraordinarily different - from a working-class terrace in Northampton to the homes of friends who were really very wealthy. It was quite an odd position to be in, I realise looking back, and quite a nice one. Mark Haddon backclassextraordinarily share on social
