When I got to Grinnell College, I was part of the black turtleneck sweater and Camel cigarette crowd of poets and writers.

One of the most treasured books that I own is Donald Allen's 'The New American Poetry, 1945-1960.' It was a totem of great importance and potency to my group of writer friends in college from 1960 to 1964.

I just bring a black turtleneck sweater everywhere - it's the greatest purchase of my life. Period.

We put on shows at Golden Gate Park with the Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and the groups were part of the community they emerged out of, not some superstars. We had multiple stages, diversions, communal entertainment. There is something slightly fascistic about sitting in a huge auditorium focusing all the energy on one group far away on stage.

I think writers are the most narcissistic people. Well, I musn't say this, I like many of them, a great many of my friends are writers.

Women were professors, lawyers and judges. They were journalists, writers and poets.