Every time we feel satisfied with what we have, we can be counted as rich, however little we may actually possess.

I am conscious of trying to stretch the boundaries of non-fiction writing. It's always surprised me how little attention many non-fiction writers pay to the formal aspects of their work.

Insomnia is a glamorous term for thoughts you forgot to have in the day.

At the heart of every frustration lies a basic structure: the collision of a wish with an unyielding reality.

An argument in a couple: 2 people attempting to introduce each other to important truths - by panicked shouting.

Though it may feel otherwise, enjoying life is no more dangerous than apprehending it with continuous anxiety and gloom.

We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the idea that a good building can change your life (and a bad one ruin it).