Words of wisdom from Richard Ford's wonderful novel, The Sportswriter. Here is Frank Bascombe, the 38-year-old narrator:
"Why, you might ask, would a man give up a 
promising literary career — there were some good notices — to become a sportswriter? It's a good question. For now let me say only this: if sportswriting teaches you anything, and there is much truth to it as well as plenty of lies, it is that for your life to be worth anything you must sooner or later face the possibility of terrible, searing regret. Though you must also manage to avoid it or your life will be ruined. I believe I have done these two things. Faced down regret. Avoided ruin. And I am still here to tell about it."
Marvellous. Back in 1999, Sophie Majeski conducted this very readable interview with Richard Ford for Salon.
