I realize that I had always in my heart of hearts planned to write a biography of Marie Antoinette.

My advantage as a woman and a human being has been in having a mother who believed strongly in women's education. She was an early undergraduate at Oxford, and her own mother was a doctor.

I'm glad I was never an heiress.

Ninety-seven is my lucky number.

I hate the only one of my book jackets when I was made up professionally, my hair made into a smooth bell.

Lives in previous centuries for women are largely a matter of class. It would have been fun to have been a rich, privileged woman in the 18th century, but no fun at all to be her maid.

I have seen all, I have heard all, I have forgotten all. marie antoinette