I am something of an aficionado of thrift stores. In my youth, I regularly searched their shelves for old books.

Most scholarly books we read for the information or insight they contain. But some we return to simply for the pleasure of the author's company.

At any given moment, I've always assumed that nearly everyone around me was smarter than I was, more naturally gifted, quicker-witted, and probably capable of understanding Heidegger and Derrida.

Young people looking for adventure fiction now generally turn to fantasy, but for those of a certain age, the spy thriller has long been the escape reading of choice.

Work is important, no doubt, but one can end up neglecting family and friends in the bargain. So I have resolved not to let that happen and maintain work-life balance by taking time out for the people who matter the most to me.

My father was a very big musical influence on me. He was a trumpet player. And that's what I started with. Then, when I was 7, my parents introduced me to the piano.

I'm lucky in that I have close friends and family and my agent to advise me.

Celtic was a part of our family. It still is.