I think one should express opinions and these books are relatively opinionated. They would be a bit dry without it.

India, to some extent, courses through my blood. My father was brought up there, and my grandfather served there, and so on. We have a very strong family affinity for the place.

If you see our best seller list, most of them are books that are given as gifts. They are books you give to flatter somebody.

I was writing the Paraguay book, a Paragauyan told me that only five thousand people in Paraguay read.

I am no apologist for Fidel's [Castro] regime. It is, after all, a totalitarian regime. So I would like to see that change.

What I really like about Cuba is that you can go into a local bar in a provincial town and you'll get jazz played at the highest standard - played often a cappella, or certainly with no amplification or whatever. Even if you are not knowledgeable about music, and I am not, you can find yourself really enjoying it.

Buenos Aires is my favorite city. I think it's fantastic - but is a troubled, sort of psychologically troubled city.