John Lanchester Quotes

Madrid is not as big as London, but it is true when you are coming from a big city like Madrid, nothing is going to surprise you, and I am very happy to move to a city like London. It is a big city, and you can do everything you want with the respect that the English people always have.

New York is hard for me. I grew up in Texas. I can't do without my car, and you can't have a car in New York.

Los Angeles is an amazing city to live in, but the traffic is unbelievable. It's overwhelming at times. It's the source of a lot of frustration.

I don't miss London much. I find it crowded, vast and difficult to get around. Cabs are incredibly expensive.

Only people who live outside cities realize the size of them. London turns out to be huge; there are great swaths, vast panoramas, a whole diaspora I'd never imagined. The place I live in tends to be manageably small, a few familiar journeys and destinations.

Living in N.Y.C. has truly awakened me to the New York elite and their penchant for the city's self-described brilliant public transit system. I think it sucks... just like public transit always does.

I don't like a big city.

Boy, I wouldn't want to live in L.A.

There is something distinctive about living in New York; over eight million other people are doing it.

I loved living in London, and I didn't want to leave.

I grew up in North Yorkshire, but now London is home.

In Britain, there's kids who grew up in London and then kids who didn't. You become quite street wise. It's such a big city, and everyone is moving and trying to get on with their lives. You don't have the everyday village quality like, 'Hello, how are you? Would you like your tea?' It's more like, 'Get out my way.' But I'm very proud of London.

It's not realistic to live in the country at this stage. I've got a business in London. I beat myself up about it all the time.

You can spend an entire day walking around in New York, whereas in L.A., it always ends at some point because you have to find a way to get home.

In Brussels, you are able to have a lot of appointments in a day. In Paris, you can have one, two, maybe three, but you spend all your time on the road, in the car or in the suburbs. In Brussels, everything is easy. It's not a very big city, and the people are very quiet and warm.

I spent years commuting into London when I was working as a temp, and I hated the monotony of it.

The shock I had, from moving from L.A. to New York, you know, whether you live in an apartment, whether you like to or not, it's cramped, it's crowded and it needs - guess what - a renovation.

I'm pretty much a London boy, and it was a big enough city to try and conquer.

My advice to young people would be this: Don't move to New York. It is not where you will find yourself.

In L.A., it's the sort of city where you have to have a car to get around.

I hated L.A. when I first got here. Hated it.

Where I'm from, Toronto, is a big city.

Cars on the opposite side of the street seems strange to me but I am still in a phase where London is new and I am taking it day by day.

I do explore the city if I have the time for it, but normally, I would rather stay relaxed at home. London can be a stressful place because it's crowded and it's a big city.

I love London. Wherever I've lived, I've always had my flat here.