In books I have traveled, not only to other worlds, but into my own.

Now the baby boomers, i.e., us, are getting older, and were suddenly discovering that there are great things about getting older. You have time for your friendships and you appreciate them in ways that you didn't before.

Some of the most important lessons I've learned have been from stumbling, and I am deeply grateful that my parents allowed me to fight my own battles.

All of the qualities that you need to be a good opinion columnist tend to be qualities that aren't valued in women.

Adolescence is a tough time for parent and child alike. It is a time between: between childhood and maturity, between parental protection and personal responsibility, between life stage- managed by grown-ups and life privately held.

You write to suit some sense in yourself and trust that that will resonate with a certain wider readership.

[In the aftermath of death] Small talk feels too small, big talk too enormous.