It's an ancient idea that the leader of a democracy should not be the cleverest but the most average. That's an arguable point, but the world has decided otherwise - except in America, where it still divides the country right down the middle.

Kingsley Amis was a lenient father. His paternal style, in the early years, can best be described as amiably minimalist - in other words, my mother did it all.

Perhaps there are other bits of my life that would take on content, take on shadow, if only I read more and thought less about money.

My belief is that everything that's written about you is actually secondary showbiz nonsense, and you shouldn't take any notice of it.

You cannot combine being a movie star with not being a movie star.

He awoke at six, as usual. He needed no alarm clock. He was already comprehensively alarmed.

It's an ancient idea that the leader of a democracy should not be the cleverest but the most average. That's an arguable point, but the world has decided otherwise - except in America, where it still divides the country right down the middle.