Since Einstein developed his theory of relativity, and Rutherford and Bohr revolutionised physics, our picture of the world has radically changed.

We, while noting many things amiss about Victorian society, more often sense them judging us.

I'm not saying all publishers have to be literary, but some interest in books would help.

We tell ourselves that God is dead, when what we mean is that God is Dad, and we wish him dead.

If you know somebody is going to be awfully annoyed by something you write, that's obviously very satisfying, and if they howl with rage or cry, that's honey.

I believe the collapse of the House of Windsor is tied in with the collapse of the Church of England.

It would no doubt be very sentimental to argue - but I would argue it nevertheless - that the peculiar combination of joy and sadness in bell music - both of clock chimes, and of change-ringing - is very typical of England. It is of a piece with the irony in which English people habitually address one another.