I need to do things on my own, need to be left alone.

We Americans look funny when we're in France because we don't travel, we are fairly un-cultured whereas Europeans go to Africa all the time because it's right there.

Like a lot of inwardly drawn young people, I spent a lot of time in libraries. At my high school, I often spent my lunch breaks there.

The history of apartheid-era South Africa is incredibly sad and at times infuriatingly incomprehensible.

The opportunity to write for the 'L.A. Weekly' has been one of the better breaks that has come my way in a long time.

A great way to learn about your country is to leave it.

No child asks to get born, so when they are here, they should be shielded from any possible horror.