The reason Saul Bellow doesn't talk to me anymore is because he knows his new novels are not worth reading.

When all of us are forgotten, people will still be remembering Stephen King.

I've been writing about James Fenimore Cooper. He was not a writer. Here was a man who was 30 years old and had never put anything more than his signature on paper.

I like that people who are not experts can not only understand but get engaged by my work. I like that Joe Paterno can read me. Bill Bradley.

The black situation has changed. They finally realized they're Americans.

I liked Camille Paglia. I liked her even better when I heard her talk.

When somebody asks me what I do, I don't think I'd say critic. I say writer.