But An Experienced Reader Is

History Offers Us Vicarious Experience. It Allows The Youngest Student To Possess The Ground Equally With His Elders; Without A Knowledge Of History To Give Him A Context For Present Events, He Is At The Mercy Of Every Social Misdiagnosis Handed To Him.

Those Who Are Made Can Be Unmade.

It Was A Very Funny Conference. I Knew [christopher Hitchens] Before That. He Had Always Been A Good Angel To Me. He Once Stole A Phrase From Me That Came Out Of His Mouth On Television. I Saw His Eyes Move Sideways. I Thought, It's Alright, You Can Have It! The Conference Was Light On Women. Salman Rushdie Showed Up, They Were Doing Their Own Thing. I Didn't Feel Neglected!

As A Writer, You Owe It To Yourself Not To Get Stuck In A Rut Of Looking At The World In A Certain Way.

I Didn't Cry Much After I Was 35, But Staggered Stony-faced Into Middle Age, A Handkerchief Still In My Bag Just In Case.