THC: You have said many times in your books that Eugene Debs is a hero of yours. I actually was up all night writing a paper about punishment and prisons, and I used quite a few quotes from Debs. Do you think there is any hope for the socialist movement outside of small, liberal, intellectual societies?

KV: I'll tell you what makes socialism stick in people's craw, and politicians always use it to their advantage: Marx's statement "religion is the opiate of the masses." Of course, he did not mean this is a negative way. Hell, Marx benefited from a variety of opiates all of his life, including lots of opium. Americans do not want to have their religion challenge by the state, but Marx had no such thoughts or intentions. And the media propagates this fear. You ask any journalist to recite a quote from Marx, and that is what they will say. The truth is, that is the only one they usually know. Unfortunately, you get someone like Stalin or Castro, who use Marx's words as an excuse to shut down churches, and then people believe that is what socialism is all about, which it certainly is not.

THC: The phrase "Hell is other people" comes up a couple times in God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian. Do you believe this quote from Sartre to be true?

KV: Well, I would revise it to "inconvenience is other people." I was giving a speech a while ago, and a woman asked if it was a terrible thing to bring a baby into a world this bad. I would say it is still a wonderful thing. What makes life worth living are the saints I meet-they can be long-time friends or someone I meet on a street. They find a way to behave decently in an indecent society.

THC: On that note, let's talk about the indecent society known as Harvard. You mention Harvard often in your books, and from what I understand you taught creative writing here briefly. How was that experience? Do you think someone can be taught how to be a great creative writer? If you were to give me a word of advice on how to be a great writer, what would it be?

KV: I taught at Harvard for one year, and it was enjoyable. The students were very talented individuals. Anyone who gets into Harvard doesn't need much instruction anyway. But teaching, no matter how you do it and who you teach, is always quite rewarding. As far as being a great writer, that is not the only purpose of writing. The real goal is to make your soul go, not to make a living. Practicing art, even in a mediocre way, can make the soul go. The most interesting writers are not those that take extensive writing classes, but those that put their soul into their writing.

THC: Which one of your books is closest to you?

KV: Well, my flagship is Cat's Cradle. One guy told me that his three favorite books all have "Cat" in their title: Catch 22, Catcher in the Rye, Cat's Cradle.

THC: That's a favorite for many of your readers. What makes it so special?

KV: It has certainly been a successful ship, and it's beautifully constructed. I often ask myself where it all came from. Reminds me of a man named Ted who we hired to fix our house on Cape Cod after it was nearly destroyed in a storm. He poured the concrete for the foundation, built the side walls, built the siding, constructed the roof, installed the windows, and everything else. When he was done, he called him me out and asked if I liked it. He did a great job, and while he was looking at the house as a whole, he turned to me and said, "How the fuck did I do that?" That is how I feel about many of my books.