In general, writers shouldn't be killed for what they write, though I can think of exceptions.

If bigots behave like bigots, it's not a huge surprise.

Most American writers don't get asked their opinion on current affairs, whereas in Europe and England, we still do. There are writers here who are the most sophisticated commentators, but they're not asked. Like Don DeLillo, who sort of forecast most of the modern world before it happened.

Look at history. It's not the account of a species at peace.

Literature is the one place in any society where, within the secrecy of our own heads, we can hear voices talking about everythingin every possible way. The reason for ensuring that that privileged arena is preserved is not that writers want the absolute freedom to say and do whatever they please. It is that we, all of us, readers and writers and citizens and generals and goodmen, need that little, unimportant-looking room. We do not need to call it sacred, but we do need to remember that it is necessary.

When I am writing novels I don't read a lot of novels so I try to catch up in-between.

I had a very difficult relationship with my father, which ended up okay, but there were many difficult years.