I think most serious and omnivorous readers are alike- intense in their dedication to the word, quiet-minded, but relieved and eagerly talkative when they meet other readers and kindred spirits.

If people are driving you around to look at animals, that's wonderful. That's educational, but it's not necessarily enlightening and you're not finding out much about yourself.

A novel captures essence that is not possible in any other form.

In countries where all the crooked politicians wear pin-striped suits, the best people are bare-assed.

One of the pleasures of reading is seeing this alteration on the pages, and the way, by reading it, you have made the book yours.

Friendship is also about liking a person for their failings, their weakness. It's also about mutual help, not about exploitation.

Travel is about failure or overcoming obstacles, overcoming failures. When a traveler is having lots of good luck, that is not a happy book. That's a book you say, well, I don't need that. I want a life lesson. I want to find out - I want a journey that reflects my life.