The knowledge that my discriminations are skewed and not always universally desirable doesn't stop me in the least from making them.

In new work, we need to see the shadow, however faint, of previous literary effort.

I really do like to write and when I'm not, I think, "Okay, I'll be a good citizen now" but fact is, that's secondary.

For most of my life, I have wanted broad impact but now, at 72, I'm not so sure that's always my first priority.

In the best nonfiction, it seems to me, you're always made aware that you are being engaged with a supple mind at work. The story line or plot in nonfiction consists of the twists and turns of a thought process working itself out.

The prospect of a long day at the beach makes me panic. There is no harder work I can think of than taking myself off to somewhere pleasant, where I am forced to stay for hours and 'have fun'.

Have fun writing, because it enhances both the writer's and reader's experience.