I might be able to find out what happened 6,000 years ago but I will never know what happens 6,000 years in the future! And that is not fair, blast it.

I've always found the world is the most extraordinarily fascinating place and the more data you get, the more you can actually put pieces into this jigsaw.

I do read very, very quickly. I do process data very quickly. And so I write very quickly. And it is embarrassing because there is a conception that the things that you do quickly are not done well. I think that's probably one of the reasons I don't like the idea of prolific.

Books aren't like broccoli. You don't have to eat it because it's good for you. Books drag you in because they are fascinating.

If something is worth doing you may as well go heart and soul and boot leather.

I don't read like other people do - back and forth, across the page. I tend to scan a page at a time.

Dance, my darling dance! If you dance then death can't catch you! Nothing bad can touch you! Dance!