It struck me as I listened to those two men that a truer nomination (name) for our species than Homo sapiens might be Homo narrans, the storytelling person. What differentiates us from animals is the fact that we can listen to other people’s dreams, fears, joys, sorrows, desires and defeats–and they in turn can listen to ours.

Although I never marched through the streets shouting for Mao, I do believe that the liberation of China at the end of the 1940s was a wonderful thing and to provide its people with a billion pairs of shoes and trousers was a fantastic achievement.

I am fascinated by all the new technology that creates places for us to meet in what is called cyberspace. I understand what it must have meant for the rebellions in the 19th century, especially in 1830 and 1848, when the mass circulated newspaper became so important for the spreading of information.

They pondered the importance of coffee in silence.

Justice doesn't only mean that the people who commit crime are punished. It also means that we can never give up seeking the truth.

I'm not very much of a reader really, because I find much of it very bad, very uninteresting, very speculative.

Africa was the most exotic place I could conceive of - the end of the world - and I knew I would go there one day.