I don't like books that play to the gallery, but I've become more concerned with telling a story as clearly and engagingly as I can.

Throughout human history, the apostles of purity, those who have claimed to possess a total explanation, have wrought havoc among mere mixed-up human beings.

Before I came to England, my favorite authors were P. G. Wodehouse and Agatha Christie. I used to devour both.

We are described into corners, and then we must describe ourselves out of corners.

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.

The west was involved in toppling the Mossadegh government. That ultimately led to the Iranian revolution.

You don't that often see writers being sought out when there are matters of great moment to discuss. And I think that's a loss.