Amy Davidson:

Sane people or those not raised for it don't seem to want to be politicians anymore.

Rivka Galchen, on Austin Holland:

I had the impression of a man who loved science and was politely trying to endure waking up each day, after insufficient sleep, to discover himself in the role of a politician.

Leonard Mlodinow:

Newton never wrote a memoir, but if he had, he probably would have called it I Hope I Really Pissed You Off, or maybe, Don't Bother Me, You Ass.

David Runciman:

In a world of myriad possibilities, especially for those who have the technical abilities that bring lavish rewards in the private sector, politics looks like a real grind. True, successful politicians get to exercise real power now and then, which must be a thrill. But most politicians are not successful: they labour away, scrabbling for votes, striving for influence, only to find that someone has beaten them to it.

Hillary Clinton:

Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion.

Roger Scruton:

It feels good to pretend, and when we all join in, it is almost as though we were not pretending at all.