Well, you know, people lead double lives. We all do to some degree. We keep certain things separate from other things. But the only way to really do that successfully for a period of time is to deceive oneself.

There is a certain degree of 'steampunkishness' that creeps into my books.

Rather than looking for explanations for why all people deserve to be treated with compassion and respect, we ought to be working at creating a world in which people are treated with compassion and respect. Human rights aren’t lying around waiting to be discovered. They’re made, not found.

All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.

In a memoir, I think, the contract implies a certain degree of truth. I think you have to be as true to your memory and your experience as you possibly can.

Atheism shows strength of mind, but only to a certain degree.