Putting up a statue to someone who tried to stop a war is not very, um, statuesque. Of course, if you had butchered five hundred of your own men out of arrogant carelessness, we'd be melting the bronze already.

I've never really liked the Yanks. ... You can't trust people who pick up the ball all the time when they play football.

There is no doubt that being human is incredibly difficult and cannot be mastered in one lifetime.

There are some people who hate my guts. But that goes with the territory.

Writing is the most fun you can have by yourself.

I grow as many of our vegetables as I can, because my granddad was a professional gardener, and it's in the blood.

When she spoke again it was in the thin, careful and above all brave voice of someone who has pulled themselves together despite overwhelming odds but might let go again at any moment.