I asked him if he had any idea why his writing held up so well, and what made it retain its lustre decade after decade, reading after reading. ‘I’m not sure I know,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘It is not something I have given much thought to. What I do know is that I have always approached my writing with the wide-eyed curiosity of a kid. It’s the same today as it was in the beginning, and if there is any secret ingredient to my work that would be it. I hope I never lose that.’
