I was on the verge of jumping into one of those holes in life out of which we emerge a bit tattered and bloody, though we remain sure nonetheless that we had to make the jump.

It is utterly soothing to fly fish for trout. All other considerations or worries drift away and you couldn't keep them close if you wanted. Perhaps it's standing thigh deep in a river with the water passing at the exact but varying speed of life. You easily recognize this mortality and it dissipates into the landscape.

I'd rather get a brain tumor than go back to teaching.

There is a neurologist, a woman over at Harvard who wanted me to come talk to them, and in France I have a lot of readers in the sciences. I can't tell you why.

The fact is, the media never gets off the interstate unless there's a major explosion.

That is simply the most beautiful publishing office in the world, with that cranky old building in that wonderful park.

So when I made some money, I didn't have any idea how one handled such a situation because no one in our family ever had any money.