Heroes betray us. By having them, in real life, we betray ourselves.

We're going to try it here, because I don't think red states necessarily have a corner on heroism.

Legends are best left as legends and attempts to make them real are rarely successful

The book trade invented literary prizes to stimulate sales, not to reward merit.

I had this funny family. At one end, they were breeding dogs in south-east London - for greyhound racing - and at the other, my uncle was living in Downing Street. And I would actually go to Downing Street, which didn't strike me as funny. I'd get on the number 15 bus.

I really did have a very egalitarian upbringing.