The novelist teaches the reader to comprehend the world as a question. There is wisdom and tolerance in that attitude. In a world built on sacrosanct certainties the novel is dead.

No one's going to be able to operate without a grounding in the basic sciences. Language would be helpful, although English is becoming increasingly international. And travel. You have to have a global attitude.

My second husband believed I had such a fickle attitude to friendship that each Friday he would update the list of my 'Top Ten' friends in the manner of a Top Of The Pops chart countdown.

If you can kill animals, the same attitude can kill human beings. The mentality is the same which exploits nature and which creates wars.

My attitude is, do as much as I can while I'm free. And if I'm arrested I'll still do as much as I can.