Dust jackets are always something of an enigma to me.

It's not hard to write poorly. But to write something good, it has to be revised.

A good, sympathetic review is always a wonderful surprise.

If I'm writing, I'll say something metaphorical or approximate, whereas scientists are very precise.

I don't think I'm morbid by nature. Serious writers have always written about serious subjects. Lighthearted material doesn't appeal to me, and I don't read it. I think I'm a realist, with a realistic sensibility of history and the tragedy of history.

You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.