“I want to write a book that makes people debate, and makes people thin...” — Miguel Syjuco Quote

“I want to write a book that makes people debate, and makes people think, interact with each other and exchange ideas... I write because I'm engaged in this big conversation.”

“I have to believe that literature can effect change; otherwise, I would have no purpose in my life and would have wasted four years on 'Ilustrado.'”

“Fiction is a very powerful tool for teaching history. The Philippines was the first Iraq, the first Vietnam, the first Afghanistan, in the sense that it was the United States' initial or baptismal experience in nation-building.”

“In a girl I look for honesty above all, someone who I can carry on a conversation with, someone who has a good sense of humor, someone who's true to herself, and to top it, someone who can get ready for a date in less than ten minutes.”

“What the world does not need is a Haggadah that pats itself on the back. It needs a Haggadah that gets out of the way, that starts a conversation and gets out of the way.”

“I've had this conversation with Chrissie Hynde and Courtney Love. If they'd dated the men they dated before they picked up their guitars, things would have been different. I'm not trying to name drop, but I've had this conversation with Cher, too, who has more last names than Zsa Zsa.”