No one in my family has been observant for generations, but we all identify with being Jewish.

I think that being Jewish is in some ways unique because there's this conflation of race, culture and religion.

My family was totally non-religious. There was no question we were Jewish, but we were not observant.

Because Jews were kicked out of every country in Europe at one time or another, and plenty of other places as well, there isn't an ability to identify with a national heritage - you'll never hear a Jew say 'I'm German' or 'I'm Polish,' without saying something about being Jewish as well, and for good reason.

Being Jewish is a big part of my artistic sensibility and my humor... I think it gives me a certain take on the world on a literary level.

As a writer, I've always been somebody who's been productive and hustled hard.