The best education for a writer, I think, is to read a lot - college can be a good place to do that.

I think it's a terrible mistake to only think in terms of a degree "buying" you something.

Of course we all know people who aren't cut out for college, but I know it's a mistake to think of education only as a route to a better career. Reading books, studying history - all these things contribute to making us better citizens, too.

My longest love affair: with a book.

I would have thought that one of the things one should learn from college is that nothing is guaranteed. Even if you study something as vocational as accountancy, you still may end up not getting a job as an accountant.

My master's degree was in journalism, but everything important I ever learned about being a journalist I learned on the job.

Best qualification for an aspiring journalist is curiosity.