"My parents had an arranged marriage, as did so many other people when I was growing up. My father came and had a life in the United States one way and my mother had a different one, and I was very aware of those things. I continue to wonder about it, and I will continue to write about it."

"For that story, I took as my subject a young woman whom I got to know over the course of a couple of visits. I never saw her having any health problems - but I knew she wanted to be married."

"I've never had Internet access. Actually, I have looked at things on other people's computers as a bystander. A few times in my life I've opened email accounts, twice actually, but it's something I don't want in my life right now."

"If I studied all my life, I couldn't think up half the number of funny things passed in one session of congress."

"The richness of existence is found in simple harmonies, not superfluous splendors. Reflect upon this whenever doubt clouds your horizon — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"I feel like I have had the most amazing life in my public service."

"I used to go to the gym regularly and swim an awful lot, but that was when I was unemployed and knew leisure intimately."