Writing in the Basement

I was taking a summer course at Oxford, and the magazine I wrote for scored an interview for me with P.D. James, my favorite author. I remember wondering on the train down to London how many people she would have around to protect her, as the interview was to take place at her Holland Park townhouse.

The spry octogenarian opened the door herself, no secretary or press people in sight. The celebrated author was growing out her hair dye and had six inches of gray roots. She'd decided at the age of 80 to let her hair go Read more