You might not remember what you had for dinner last night, but you remember everything about one particular summer of your youth. It's like that.

No one's memory is infallible, of course - quite the opposite.

You write about experiences partly to understand what they mean, partly not to lose them to time. To oblivion. But there's always the danger of the opposite happening. Losing the memory of the experience itself to the memory of writing about it.

There's a lot of material from my life in my books, but they're not really autobiographical, in the sense that they're not about my life. So, in 'A Feather on the Breath of God' I write about my parents, I write about this Russian immigrant, I write about the world of dance, but it isn't an autobiography; so much is left out.

My mother, Maxine, was married at 16 to my father Raymond, and in 56 years together, he was the only man she ever had.

Parents should continue to become more involved with their communities, and more involved in their children's education.

To any child, the first occupations that are presented to you are your parents'. I was appealed to my dad's occupation from the get-go.

DURING the first years of my service in Dr. Flint's family, I was accustomed to share some indulgences with the children of my mistress.