The women's movement was coming, but I didn't know it in 1956-1957, when I began to write.

I write for the still, small possibility of justice.

My family were Russian Jews. They got you to read as soon as you could. And then assumed you would read a lot. People didn't really tell stories but they were good talkers. That's important for a writer, to hear speakers.

Write what will stop your breath if you don’t write.

I don't have any degrees. I went to Hunter College one year and New York University another year. It's just on the basis of my books that I've been hired at any of the places I've been.

Old age is not a good thing. It can be really hard, and those of us who have it a little easier should keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are not as well off.

I should have written more. I should have written more during the period when I just liked so much doing the political work in the streets.