My father also happened to be an intellectual as learned literate informed and curious as anyone I have known. Unobtrusively and casually he was my wise and gentle teacher.

In the depth of the near depression that he faced when he came in Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress provided 'recovery funds' that literally kept our classrooms open. Two years ago these funds saved nearly 20 000 teacher and education jobs - just here in North Carolina.

In my teens I developed a passionate idolatry for a teacher of English literature. I wanted to do something that he would approve of more so I thought I should be some sort of a scholar.

Literature is my life of course but from an ontological point of view. From an existential point of view I like being a teacher.

I didn't read so much Japanese literature. Because my father was a teacher of Japanese literature I just wanted to do something else.

My literary success meant nothing to me.

There's that unwritten schism that literary writers get all the awards and commericals writers get all the success.

My father was an immigrant who literally walked across Europe to get out of Russia. He fought in World War I. He was wounded in action. My father was a great success even though he never had money. He was a very determined man a great role model.

Internationalism on the other hand admits that spiritual achievements have their roots deep in national life from this national consciousness art and literature derive their character and strength and on it even many of the humanistic sciences are firmly based.

To achieve lasting literature fictional or factual a writer needs perceptive vision absorptive capacity and creative strength.

I love the wry motto of the Paleontological Society meant both literally and figuratively for hammers are the main tool of our trade: Frango ut patefaciam - I break in order to reveal.

All literary men are Red Sox fans - to be a Yankee fan in a literate society is to endanger your life.

Not only is the self entwined in society it owes society its existence in the most literal sense.

The human being is in the most literal sense a political animal not merely a gregarious animal but an animal which can individuate itself only in the midst of society.

If you look at the purported dangers of salt or fat there is no consensus of support in scientific literature. So I would ask first: 'Is it possible to have an informed government that actually follows the science?' From what I've seen it's not likely.

I dislike literary jargon and never use it. Criticism has only one function and that is to help readers read and understand literature. It is not a science it is an aid to art.

Change is the principal feature of our age and literature should explore how people deal with it. The best science fiction does that head-on.