My father could talk about the Romany way of life and its culture. He could talk about freedom and the Scottish spirit. But that was all he could talk about. I was desperate for someone to talk to but there was just nobody there.

If we don't value the people who inspire us (and money is one mark of that) then what kind of culture are we building?

Books exist for me not as physical entities with pages and binding, but in the province of my mind.

I had never really understood what an adventure life could be, if you followed your heart and did what you really wanted to do, which is what we must all do in the end.

Writing about the 1950s has given me tremendous respect for my mother's generation.

I'm a library user and I just don't hoard books. To me, they're for sharing.

I jealously guard my research time and I love fully immersing myself in those dusty old books and papers. It's one of the most enjoyable parts of my job.