Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.

A writer is a strange instrument of our species, a harp of sorts, fine-tuned to the dark contradictions of life.

I have faith in the Torah. I am not afraid of truth.

Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.

I do not know what evil is when it comes to art. I only know what is good art and what is bad art.

A book is sent out into the world, and there is no way of fully anticipating the responses it will elicit. Consider the responses called forth by the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare - let alone contemporary poetry or a modern novel.

A non-fiction writer pretty much has the shape of the figure in front of him or her and goes about refining it. A work of non-fiction is not as difficult to write as a work of fiction, but it's not as satisfying in the end.