Living in a small town anywhere means preserving one's self behind a mask.

When you're young you think that you're going to sail into a lovely lake of quietude and peace. This is profoundly untrue.

In the writing process, the more a story cooks, the better.

Small things amuse small minds.

I never thought of London in terms of possible heroes - of course, there are thousands. It's a very talented city.

And then, not expecting it, you become middle-aged and anonymous. No one notices you. You achieve a wonderful freedom. It is a positive thing. You can move about unnoticed and invisible.

we have not yet developed a system of education that is not a system of indoctrination.