Detroit, my 'great' subject, made me the person I am, consequently the writer I am - for better or worse.

Boxing has become America's tragic theater.

To the west, the Pacific Ocean, which revulses me, for its vastness cannot be fitted into any box.

Except that awards are competitive, which is a negative thing, they are wonderful for singling out deserving individuals and bringing their work to the attention of many potential readers who might otherwise have been totally unaware of them.

I don't think I'm morbid by nature. Serious writers have always written about serious subjects. Lighthearted material doesn't appeal to me, and I don't read it. I think I'm a realist, with a realistic sensibility of history and the tragedy of history.

I'm sure all that you've heard is just the usual gossip, invented to injure feelings rather than illuminate truth.

The third man in the ring makes boxing possible.