Usually, ordinary histories don't get the emotional feel of a period. That's what a novel can do.

There is still nothing like equality for women in jobs, in family. There's just an awareness that inequality is not acceptable.

When farming became a corporate venture, and the distribution of food became corporate, the variety of foods that were considered good diminished greatly. I know that there's a lot of misconception about this, that people think we have more food variety than ever before, but, in fact, if you read any of the studies, you'll find we have fewer foods than before.

Within walking distance of any spot on Earth there's probably more than enough mystery to investigate in a lifetime.

For many decades my relations with my parents constituted unfinished business. I had dealt with them through sheer avoidance and guilt.

I did not intend to be a writer. I first wanted to be a lawyer, like my father. Then I got bit by the bug of philosophy and wanted to be a philosophy professor. I went to graduate school and quickly discovered it was impossible for a woman in those days - this was the early fifties - to be a philosopher, so I gave that up.

I am a feminist. I'm trying to show the relationships between men and women, always the structural relations, not individual villains. I'd never make a husband a villain. I try very hard in my work not to - because if I made one man a villain, the rest would be off the hook. I'm interested in the system of oppression.