In August of 2002, I survived a car accident. Although I can still see the van speeding toward us, I cannot bring to mind the crash itself - only its aftermath. -Siri Hustvedt Car
The idea that skiing might not be fun, might not be for everyone, had never occurred to me. Where I come from, the sport signified pleasure, nature, family happiness. -Siri Hustvedt Happiness
As one of four daughters, I grew up with an imaginary brother - wondering what it would have been like if one of us had been a boy. There's no question that there was a phantom boy child in my imagination when I was young. -Siri Hustvedt Imagination
If something's not working, it's wonderful to have a reader you can trust to say, 'Actually, you've gone off the deep end here'. -Siri Hustvedt Trust
I am always suspicious of those who impose 'rules' on child rearing. Every child is different in terms of temperament and learning, and every parent responds to a particular child, not some generalized infant or youngster. -Siri Hustvedt Learning
It's hard to penetrate characters who are very cut off and lack empathy and to do it with sympathy. It's so easy to make a damaged character repugnant. -Siri Hustvedt Sympathy
Creativity has always depended on openness and flexibility, so let us hope for more of both in the future. -Siri Hustvedt Hope
All human states are organic brain states - happiness, sadness, fear, lust, dreaming, doing math problems and writing novels - and our brains are not static. -Siri Hustvedt Happiness
Each person does see the world in a different way. There is not a single, unifying, objective truth. We're all limited by our perspective. -Siri Hustvedt Truth
