I have, I must admit, despised the English countryside for much of my life - despised it and avoided it for its want of danger and adventure.

I have in the past acquired a reputation for concocting non-existent writers and unwritten volumes.

Retiring from writing is to avoid the inevitable bitterness which a writing career is bound to deliver as its end product in almost every case.

I was brought up in a flat in North London - virtually the last building in London, because north of us was countryside all the way to the coast, and south of us was non-stop London for 20 miles.

We are accountable for our actions as we exercise our moral agency. If we understand this principle and make righteous choices, our lives will be blessed.

We need to work to repeal Obamacare and replace it with the kind of health care choices that the American people want. That doesn't include government-run health care.

As someone who comes from a family of lifers (along with my wife), I just want to say, flat out... Marriage is a really good deal.

I'm optimistic, and I have a lot of goals. And I obey the laws of nature: I eat, exercise, and rest properly. But mostly it's about keeping the mind engaged. My grandmother lived to 104, and she had all of her faculties. I'm physically active and devout - just not as Buddhistic as she was.