“A.E. Matthews ambled through This Was a Man like a charming retriever who has buried a bone and can't quite remember where.”

“I like long walks, especialy when they are taken by people who annoy me.”

“To know you are among people whom you love, and who love you – that has made all the successes wonderful, much more wonderful than they'd have been anyway.”

“Wouldn't it be dreadful to live in a country where they didn't have tea?”

“There are dark times just around the corner. There are dark clouds travelling through the sky. And it's no good whining about a silver lining. For we know from experience they won't roll by.”

“What I adore is supreme professionalism. I’m bored by writers who can write only when it’s raining.”

“I have a memory like an elephant. In fact, elephants often consult me. ”