If I'm home with no chore at hand, and a package of books has come, the television set and the chess board and the unanswered mail will have to manage without me if one of the books is a detective story.

To read of a detective's daring finesse or ingenious stratagem is a rare joy.

As a professional writer of detective stories, I string along with the ballplayers. I love a ball game.

So, I understand when they make a mistake and everyone at home is throwing their shoe at the television set.

Television goes into people's homes, and it reaches them on a very personal level. When you're sitting in your home after a day's work, and you've chosen to watch a show like 'ER,' you're very vulnerable. ... It's a very provocative and engaging and deeply thoughtful show.

I was sitting at home watching five hours of television every afternoon.