You have to be a ruthless editor of your own prose. Over the years, I've learned that the best way to incorporate research into the narrative is to turn it into action.

I have one vivid memory of one of the days that the marches were taking place. We were in a Catholic, predominantly Polish and Lithuanian neighborhood. Chicago is a place where people define themselves by their parish and by their ethnicity.

But what I've learned is, when your adrenaline is flowing, you can do a lot. I'm not very physical, but once some punks were trying to break into my house and I chased them down.

Sometimes I panic and think I can't really write.

The possibility of bringing white-collar criminals to justice is ever receding over the horizon.

I live and die with the Chicago Cubs

I wish I could remember where I put things. I spend half my life looking for my keys. With the other half I look for my glasses.