History is nothing if not an epic tale of missed opportunities.

Christopher Hitchens was a wit, a charmer, and a troublemaker, and to those who knew him well, he was a gift from - dare I say it - God.

You know, I used to warm the thermometer on the light bulb... I was really good at being sick. I could forge my mother's signature on a sick note so well I was hardly ever at school.

Stationery is addictive. I get mine made in Paris at Benetton, and writing on it gives me a strange thrill.

Many men think they're playboys but they invariably land wide of the mark. Surrounding yourself with champagne, fast friends and paid escorts is the very definition of the word 'loser'.

Water-boarding can result in damage to the lungs and the brain, as well as long-term psychological trauma.

I think the absence of socks on men wearing suits and brogues is a problem. They'll live to regret that.

As you get older and fatter, good clothes can hide a lot.

In less than a year, the Bush administration will strut out of office, leaving the country in roughly the same condition a toddler leaves a diaper.

Life is all about seating and lighting.

I might wear a dinner jacket once a year to our Oscar party - that's a big thing - but I don't go to parties. I'm social but I'm not a socialite person.

When we move in a direction that touches our heart, we add to the momentum of deeper purpose that makes us feel more alive.

It is much more enjoyable to love success than to hate failure.

Stop. Talking."Her whisper was muffled against his lips, and his answering chuckle was muffled by hers."What would you have me do instead?""For starters? Put your mouth to better use.

We make conscious choices to do something a certain way.

That's a powerful way to love, when you accept your children, however they emerge, with all their peculiarities.

I love fairytales. I like fantasy a lot, science fiction, I like magic. I like to create magic. I love magic.

How could your cover be blown in Canada? Why even bother going dark there? How could you tell?

The only thing worse than starting something and failing... is not starting something.

The total economy of Latin America is bigger than China.