At the ballet, you really feel like you're in the presence of something outside the rest of your life. Higher than the rest of your life.

You can use a biography to examine political power, but only if you pick the right guy.

You have to be an extremely good reader to appreciate what a good writer is. There are some people who are completely insensitive to good writing.

If things are going well, if the writing's coming along, I jump out of bed happy. And if the previous day has been bad, I get out of bed disgruntled.

At the ballet, you really feel like you're in the presence of something outside the rest of your life. Higher than the rest of your life.

The right of a minority is so important in a democracy.

I sometimes feel that if your book sells more than 20 years, then there's something in it that you can say, gee, I did something that endures, that's timeless