I am a big fan of the electronic book. I hate to see the old bookstores close, but they have to reinvent themselves. I believe the First Edition bookstore will be the next thing. People will read electronically, then decide they want to own that book. The author will then be invited to the old bookstores to sign. I think books will always be with us, but they will fill a different need.

History is wonderful. We have so much we can learn if we would quit making ideology out of history, and just deal with what happened.

I try to impress upon my students the importance of looking, listening... paying attention, in other words. You must pay attention.

No one needs to teach you to be mean; we need to be taught to be kind.

The unwillingness to try is worse than any failure.

I am so hip even my errors are correct

The poet can only write the poems; it takes the reader to complete the meaning.