"Man is the weak being who, in spite of all his self-importance and pride of wealth and capital, is vanquished by the smallest microbe."

“He was extremely reticent in his religious sentiments, at least in all that he wrote. Allusions to his belief are rarely, if ever, to be met with in his correspondence.”

“If you find it complicated to answer someone’s question, do not answer it, for his container is already full and does not have room for the answer”

“The only deadline is the one I give myself.”

“I am a print addict. I have an ebook and a computer but I remain hooked on print.”

Source : "Annalena McAfee: 'I see myself as a recovering journalist'". Interview with Lisa O'Kelly, www.theguardian.com. April 9, 2011.

“Diplomacy means all the wicked devices of the Old World, spheres of influence, balances of power, secret treaties, triple alliances, and, during the interim period, appeasement of Fascism.”

“Dear youths, I warn you cherish peace divine, And in your hearts lay deep these words of mine.”

“Today, you get better performance from a Ford Focus than a Ferrari from the mid-70s. [The Focus] is just as fast and with better fuel economy. It's fun to see supercar technology trickle down to everyday cars.”

“Electric cars are not going to take the market by storm, but it's going to be a gradual improvement.”