As suburbs go, Bromley's not bad. But as David Bowie and Hanif Kureishi have observed, you do want to get out of there quickly.

New York City has fantastic restaurants and, unlike London, a lot of the best restaurants are relatively cheap.

Ultimately, it's about the quality of the writing whatever style you are writing.

I never could get a proper job.

A public role endures for the literary high-command, as sages and seers, speaking out on social and political issues.

I went to a British Council event a while back and there were lots of German professors of literature. About half of them were convinced I had a German sense of humour and the other half were sure it was British. They are probably still arguing about it now.

The greatest danger of being gifted, is that you may never learn how to make an effort.