Many people spend the ends of their lives alone, and probably a lot of years in the middle of their lives, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience the rewards of solitude.

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

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

My mirror image always had to be interpreted. And for that I sought my reflection in someone else's eyes.

In my books, my idea is always to explore social context and social forces.

As I experienced life on the island, without electricity, plumbing or telephone, I thought it was important to show that people can live as I did without dying or falling apart. I wanted people to understand that we don't need everything that our culture tells us we have to have to be satisfied.

One important part of historical recording is to get people of another generation to understand the feelings, the passion that went into social transformation. That's why oral history is so valuable.