Heaven, for me, is one focused project - it's like a weird form of autism.

The sea's only gifts are harsh blows, and occasionally the chance to feel strong. Now I don't know much about the sea, but I do know that that's the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions. Facing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.

But perhaps the greatest attraction of Mormonism was the promise that each follower would be granted an extraordinarily intimate relationship with God. Joseph taught and encouraged his adherents to receive personal communiqués straight from the Lord. Divine revelation formed the bedrock of the religion.

Sometimes he tried too hard to make sense of the world, to figure out why people were bad to each other so often.

There is nothing glamorous or romantic about war. It's mostly about random pointless death and misery.

The trip was to be an odyssey in the fullest sense of the word, an epic journey that would change everything.

Almost every magazine piece I've ever written, I felt like I haven't done it justice, like it was just a gloss.