Basically, the person in the White House should be principled, should have a philosophy about food that relates directly to organic agriculture. I will continue to push for that.

If I weren't involved with food, I'd be working in architecture. Design is that critical to me.

I feel like old age in America is a very sad thing. I have been many different places around the world where getting older is something you look forward to.

I really appreciate the many neighbourhoods of Berkeley. There is still the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker. And it has the University of California, which is the greatest gift, to my mind, to be close to it. It keeps the place alive.

We have peace with Israel. We're actually the last man standing. So there is going to be immense pressure and people asking, 'Why are we having this relationship when it's not benefiting anybody?' Obviously, my answer is you always benefit from peace.

A friendship between Germany and Israel didn't always seem natural.

Relationships, it seems to me, are timeless. What works between two people always works; what doesn't is always troublesome. Over time, people learn - or not - how to negotiate what's difficult, but that doesn't mean the misfit has gone away entirely.

On a personal basis, when I decided to become a writer, about the last reason I did it was because I thought I'd meet interesting people and make new friends. But that has turned out to be the very best part.