I like to just have fun and be silly and say pretty much whatever comes into my mind, do pretty much whatever I want.
I kicked college nostalgia in my late 20s. As much as I loved college and treasure the memories, I no longer want to go back.
I tend to read things that are a little more on the nourishing side. But if I don't enjoy something, I'll put it down.
No matter how dark things may get in a story, I feel it's the responsibility of the storyteller to leave the audience with at least a shred of hope.
I distinguish sentiment from sentimentality. Sentimentality makes your skin crawl. It's like too much sugar. But, sentiment is a great feeling.
The reflexive allergy to L. A. that a lot of New Yorkers have, I feel like it's kind of nonsense.
What I write is very personal, but not autobiographical. It's more 'thematically personal' - what's up in my life in terms of themes at the moment.
If you find yourself imitating another writer, that doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially if you are a young or a new writer. However, you should be conscious of exactly how you are imitating him - word choice, sentence structure, motifs? - and think about why you're doing it.
There are actually two approaches to reside your daily life. One is as if absolutely nothing is really a miracle. The other is as if every little thing is a wonder
At Harvard I majored in chemistry with a strong inclination toward math.
Despite the fact that I spend a lot of time in London, Switzerland and New York, Africa is the place I know and love best, and my heart will always lie here.