I have always felt like an artist when I work on a book. I see no reason why the word should always be confined to writers of fiction and poetry.

Vainglory, however, no matter how much medieval Christianity insisted it was a sin, is a motor of mankind, no more eradicable than sex.

To be a bestseller is not necessarily a measure of quality, but it is a measure of communication.

Fateful moments tend to evoke grandeur of speech, especially in French.

To rush in upon an event before its significance has had time to separate from the surrounding circumstances may be enterprising, but is it useful? ... The recent prevalence of these hot histories on publishers' lists raises the question: Should - or perhaps can - history be written while it is still smoking?

Nothing is more satisfying than to write a good sentence. It is no fun to write lumpishly, dully, in prose the reader must plod through like wet sand. But it is a pleasure to achieve, if one can, a clear running prose that is simple yet full of surprises. This does not just happen. It requires skill, hard work, a good ear, and continued practice.

I want the reader to turn the page and keep on turning to the end.