I left Gorbachev's office thinking that everything about him was outsized: his achievements, his mistakes, and, now, his vanity and bitterness.

You know what writers say about their long books: If I had another year, the book would be half as long.

Russian is such a tough and complex language that I am happy enough to understand everything and read most things pretty well, but, without constant practice, my speech is not what I wish it was, and I would sooner write in crayon than write a letter in Russian.

No-one loves another
More than he loves whatever
another within may have
That is part of one's self

When my mother left her second husband, she wrote her autobiography and presented it to him for his approval.

I was embarrassed when I went and told my parents that I was thinking about running for public office.