If somebody has a chance to put my food in their mouth that tells the story.

The kitchen's a laboratory and everything that happens there has to do with science. It's biology chemistry physics. Yes there's history. Yes there's artistry. Yes to all of that. But what happened there what actually happens to the food is all science.

I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life. I love the food. I love the people. I love the attitudes of Italians.

President Obama is the most successful food stamp president in American history. I would like to be the most successful paycheck president in American history.

For whatever reason maybe it's because of my story but people associate Livestrong with exercise and physical fitness health and lifestyle choices like that.

People just want to hear some common sense... and I bring to bear the experience in local government and state government and national government - I was the first woman in history on the Senate Finance Committee - not to mention the diplomatic international experience.

How are fears born? They are born because of differences in tradition and history they are born because of differences in emotional political and national circumstances. Because of such differences people fear they cannot live together.

I fear dying in the middle of a book. It would be so annoying to write 80 000 words and not get to the end. I'm phobic about it. So when I'm writing a book I leave messages all over the house for people to know how the story ends and then someone can finish it for me.

The vehemence with which certain critics have chosen not simply to criticize what I've written but to challenge my writing this story at all speaks of what the book is about: fear of disapproval.

Uncertainty and fear and ignorance about immigrants about people who are different has a history as old as our Nation.