The first interviews I gave were entirely unpleasant. You have people trying to trip you up with impolite questions that have nothing to do with the books. It's simply vulgar curiosity, and I won't have it. Patrick O'Brian bookcuriositygive share on social
I have never written for an audience. On the other hand I do not write merely to please myself. Patrick O'Brian audiencehandwrite Change image and share on social
The function of the novel is the exploration of the human condition. Really, that's what it's all about. Patrick O'Brian conditionexplorationfunction Change image and share on social
A freewheeling mind can conceive a virtually infinite number of sequences, but just how that mind picks out and stores those that may perhaps be used later to deal with a given tension, a given situation, is far beyond my understanding. Patrick O'Brian conceivedealfreewheel share on social
Since I grew up, I have never deliberately used any technique at all other than the physical shaping of my tale so that it more or less resembles what has been thought of as a novel for these last two hundred years. Patrick O'Brian deliberatelygrowhundred share on social
When you're taking a fence on a horse, you don't think much; your body does all the thinking, and you're over or you're not over. It's much the same when you are doing a tricky thing with a pen. There are times when I'm writing very, very fast. Patrick O'Brian bodyfastfence share on social
On a ship, everything is enclosed: the people are right on top of each other and can't get up and walk away. Patrick O'Brian enclosepeopleship Change image and share on social
Take a newspaper account of Waterloo or Trafalgar, with all the small advertisements: it seems much more real than reading about it in a history book. Patrick O'Brian accountadvertisementbook Change image and share on social
I've never set out to seduce my reader. I don't see him at all clearly. Patrick O'Brian havereaderseduce Change image and share on social
Likings arise when one has no earthly reason for liking - the most wildly improbable marriages and uncommon friendship. Patrick O'Brian ariseearthlyfriendship Change image and share on social
