I think a lot of people try to edit themselves out and I think that's a big mistake, because the person being interviewed is responding to a person, and if you don't know who that person is then you don't really know what's going on with the person being interviewed.

Writing fiction is a good way to inhabit other minds, if not other lives.

I studied art history and philosophy and took economics and political science classes. I just took whatever I wanted and I didn't worry about grades and I read and learned a lot, and I didn't have much of a social life, so it was deeply absorbing.

There are times when things are clear in your head and your heart and everything comes all aligned and it's easy and it just feels good to do something. But most of the time it's not like that. Most of the time there's conflict between your head and your heart.

To go on and on about your soul is to miss the whole point of life. I could say that with more certainty if I knew the whole point of life.

My parents are both scientists, and I was raised without god.

There was not an awareness of pop culture in the household. There was a lot of respect for working hard, and for intellectual and professional achievement.