I Spent Ages Figuring Out Things Like

What Is Pertinent Is The Calmness Of Beauty, Its Sense Of Restraint. It Is As Though The Land Knows Of Its Own Beauty, Its Own Greatness, And Feels No Need To Shout It.

I Was A Little Concerned That A Lot Of People Thought I Wrote Merchant Ivory Movies. I Also Thought If I Was Ever Going To Write Something Strange And Difficult, That Was The Time.

After All, What Can We Ever Gain In Forever Looking Back And Blaming Ourselves If Our Lives Have Not Turned Out Quite As We Might Have Wished?

Our Family Arrived In England In 1960. At That Time I Thought The War Was Ancient History. But If I Think Of 15 Years Ago From Now, Thats 1990, And That Seems Like Yesterday To Me.

I Think The Judging Process Is Full Of Integrity, Compared To Some Other Prizes Around The World. The Fact That They Change The Panel Of Judges Every Year Keeps It From Becoming Corrupt. I Think It's Very Difficult If You've Got Judges For Life; Obviously Relationships Are Cultivated Between Judges And Authors, And Publishing Houses.