Memory Is The Happiness Of Being Alone.

What's Important Is The Preparation For Adult Life, And The Training You'll Receive In Your Assignment.

I Often Compare Myself As A Kid To My Own Grandchildren, Who Are Around 11 And 14 Now. That's The Age Kids Usually Read My Book. And I Remember Myself, We'd Gone Through A World War. My Father Was An Army Officer So I Was Aware Of What Was Going On. But I Wasn't Bombarded With Images Of Catastrophe Like Many Kids Are Today.

Gathering Blue' Was A Separate Book. I Wanted To Explore What A Society Might Become After A Catastrophic World Event. Only At The End Did I Realize I Could Make It Connect To 'the Giver.

So Actually, There Could Be Parents-of-the-parents-of-the-parents-of-the Parents?

Making Lists Of Reasons Was Sometimes A Good Way To Figure Things Out.