A book is a product of a pact with the Devil that inverts the Faustian contract, he'd told Allie. Dr Faustus sacrificed eternity in return for two dozen years of power; the writer agrees to the ruination of his life, and gains (but only if he's lucky) maybe not eternity, but posterity, at least. Either way (this was Jumpy's point) it's the Devil who wins.

In the real world, immeasurable hurt is caused by terrorists based in Pakistan who attack countries like India.

A figure of speech is a shifty thing; it can be twisted or it can be straight.

Normally when I read, I don't like music playing.

Stories in families are colossally important. Every family has stories: some funny, some proud, some embarrassing, some shameful. Knowing them is proof of belonging to the family.

In Iran, fundamentalism was fuelled to an extent by the regime of the Shah being supported by the West.

You start at the stupid end of the book, and if you're lucky you finish at the smart end.