It is the absence of facts that frightens people: the gap you open, into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires.

The worship of Thomas More goes beyond Catholics.

Those who are made can be unmade.

If you are without impulses, you are, to a degree, without joy..." 469

History offers us vicarious experience. It allows the youngest student to possess the ground equally with his elders; without a knowledge of history to give him a context for present events, he is at the mercy of every social misdiagnosis handed to him.

It was a very funny conference. I knew [Christopher Hitchens] before that. He had always been a good angel to me. He once stole a phrase from me that came out of his mouth on television. I saw his eyes move sideways. I thought, It's alright, you can have it! The conference was light on women. Salman Rushdie showed up, they were doing their own thing. I didn't feel neglected!

[Margaret Thatcher] was always talking about what the prudent housewife should do and what the prudent housewife knew.