The pharmaceutical corporations are engaged in the systematic corruption of the medical profession, country by country

The greatest threat to mankind comes from the renunciation of individual scruple in favor of institutional denominators. . . . Real heroism lies, as it always will, not in conformity or even patriotism, but in acts of solitary moral courage. Which, come to think of it, is what we used to admire in our Christian savior

I think that all writers feel alienated. ... I know that I do. ... I still feel, as I think most creative people do, absolutely isolated.

It's part of a writer's profession, as it's part of a spy's profession, to prey on the community to which he's attached, to take away information - often in secret - and to translate that into intelligence for his masters, whether it's his readership or his spy masters. And I think that both professions are perhaps rather lonely.

It's a principle of mine to come into the story as late as possible, and to tell it as fast as you can.

Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.

People are very secretive - secret even from themselves.