My favorite period is World War II, and I'm in the middle of writing my fourth novel set in that era.

Without books I would not have become a vivacious reader, and if you are not a reader you are not a writer.

Why do you have to be the same as the others? ...Most of them are stupid.

She loved him because he had brought her back to life. She had been like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and he had drawn her out and shown her that she was a butterfly.

When you've lost everything, you've got nothing to lose.

Having faith in God did not mean sitting back and doing nothing. It meant believing you would find success if you did your best honestly and energetically.

The CIA's research program is described in a book called "The Search for the Manchurian Candidate."

Trusting someone was like holding a little water in your cupped hands - it was so easy to spill the water, and you could never get it back.

The degradation to which you subject others comes back, sooner or later, to haunt you.

In my books, women often solve the problem. Even if the woman is not the hero, she's a strong character. She does change the plot. She'll often rescue the male character from some situation.

In both cases, weakness and scruples had defeated strength and ruthlessness.

War made the state, and the state made war

The rights of persons, and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which Government was instituted.

Americans think that they have a history, but it's nothing compared to Europe.

I'm just thrilled and kind of honored that I still get the chance to do what I love, because that really is the definition of success.

I'm a liberal, I was born a liberal, I'll be one 'til I die, what else should a reporter be when you see so much and when we have such great privilege and access to the truth?

What does it avail you, if of many thorns only one be removed.

You always end up with too many pictures to edit and too few that you feel 'got it'.

I had such a great mom and I know that I'd never be that mom. I wouldn't want to bring a child into this world unless I could be.

Governments and the military purport to protect the public from enemies, and if there were no enemies they would have to invent some, for the simple purpose of rationalizing their existence.

Tension is the great integrity.