I want my books to last, to stand the test of time, and to do that I focus on the forces that shape the subject - the cultural and sociological geography - to capture them in a way that will explain them no matter what they are doing.

I do love to capture beauty in this world. And photos can last the test of time.

I want to write for history, not for the moment.

I look for two things when I am about to launch into a book. First, there has to be a dramatic arc to the story itself that will carry me, and the reader, from beginning to end. Second, the story has to weave through larger themes that can illuminate the world of the subject.

Books can capture injustices in a way that stays with you and makes you want to do something about them. That's why they are so powerful.

It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; its the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time.