The heart with letters on it shining like a light bulb through the trim hole painted in the chest, art history.

A divorce is like an amputation: you survive it, but there's less of you.

Science is not something that exists apart from human beings. It's one of the things we do as human beings, and we always have done science and technology in some form.

I suppose it's everyone's fate to be reduced to quaintness by those younger than themselves.

I don't want to look at something that determines me so completely.

Always good to take a look at the long list for the Mann Booker, for the Commonwealth. It gives you an overview.There is so much going on all over the world that it's impossible for one person to keep up. And I can't.

I began writing at the age of 5, but there was a dark period between the ages of 8 and 16 when I didn't write. I started again at 16. And have no idea why, but it was suddenly the only thing I wanted to do.