"Even now, after whatever gains feminism has made in involving fathers in the rearing of their children, I still think virtually all of us spend the most formative years of our lives very much in the presence of women."

"I think we Southerners have talked a fair amount of malarkey about the mystique of being Southern."

"From the age of six I wanted to be an artist. At that point I meant a painter, but it turned out what I really meant was I was someone who was very interested in watching the world and making copies of it."

"The older I've got the less I find myself going back and re-reading or really reading new fiction or poetry."