"Writers obviously have to bear witness to the harsh face of the age." ― Alexander McCall Smith Topic(s): Age More From Alexander McCall Smith "It seems to me that we’re in danger of losing sight of certain basic civic values in society by allowing the growth of a whole generation of people who really have no sense of attachment to society." "My Botswana books are positive, and I’ve never really sought to deny that. They are positive. They present a very positive picture of the country. And I think that that is perfectly defensible given that there is so much written about Africa which is entirely negative." "I think people in Botswana are pleased that my books paint a positive picture of their lives and portray the country as being very special. They’ve made a great success of their country, and the people are fed up with the constant reporting of only the problems and poverty of the continent. They welcome something which puts the positive side." More In Age "Shall I tell you what the real evil is? To cringe to the things that are called evils, to surrender to them our freedom, in defiance of which we ought to face any suffering."― Lucius Annaeus Seneca "Happiness is ideal, it is the work of the imagination."― Marquis de Sade "Every time I see something terrible, it’s like I see it at age 19. I keep a freshness that way."― Ralph Nader