There are places that I've always wanted to go. First I went to Africa, and when I was there I realized there were places in Africa I really to wanted to visit: The Congo, West Africa, Mombassa. I wanted to see the deep, dark, outlandish places. Paul Theroux africacongodark share on social
You need to be on your own so that you can meet people as you are, and as they are. Paul Theroux meetpeople Change image and share on social
I don't look down on tourism. I live in Hawaii where we have 7 million visitors a year. If they weren't there, there would be no economy. So I understand why a tourist economy is necessary. Paul Theroux economyhawaiilive Change image and share on social
I can't predict how reading habits will change. But I will say that the greatest loss is the paper archive - no more a great stack of manuscripts, letters, and notebooks from a writer's life, but only a tiny pile of disks, little plastic cookies where once were calligraphic marvels. Paul Theroux archivecalligraphicchange share on social
I have always felt that the truth is prophetic, and that if you describe precisely what you see and give it life with your imagination, then what you write ought to have lasting value, no matter what the mood of your prose. Paul Theroux describefeltgive share on social
I think there is only one way to write fiction - alone, in a room, without interruption or any distraction. Paul Theroux distractionfictioninterruption Change image and share on social
My earliest thought, long before I was in high school, was just to go away, get out of my house, get out of my city. I went to Medford High School, but even in grade school and junior high, I fantasized about leaving. Paul Theroux cityearlyfantasize share on social
I grew up in an era of thinking of travel as escape. The idea that you could conceivably have a new life, go somewhere, fall in love, have little children under the palm trees. Paul Theroux childconceivablyera Change image and share on social
Television cannot film corruption. Television cannot spend five days on a rattling railway train, talking endlessly. Television needs excitement, it needs an angle, it needs a 'sound bite. Paul Theroux anglebitecorruption Change image and share on social
I wouldn't say that I'm a travel novelist, but rather a novelist who travels - and who uses travel as a background for finding stories of places. Paul Theroux backgroundfindnovelist Change image and share on social