Well, I love the salad bar, because it means I don't have to clean salad at home or clean up afterwards. I'm usually the salad maker at home. My kids, I think, have not yet eaten anything but the pizza and the pasta. I think the food's great. The people are all friendly, and it's great to get to talk informally with students while we're eating. And as I said, it's wonderful not to have to shop or cook or clean up, so what could be better than that?
How are your children enjoying living in the country so far?
They are really enjoying living in the country. They're just wild to have a big house and a big yard. They have playrooms on the third floor, and parts of the house that haven't even been discovered yet. My son has taken up skateboarding, which he hadn't done in New York. He finds that our driveway is perfect. Hopefully he'll take a while before he starts asking for ramps and jumps in the driveway ... He's interested in horses. He wanted to have a horse in the backyard. I told him I was willing to consider it if he was willing to clean up after it. That put the kibosh on that idea for now.
What's your favorite movie?
If I had to pick one movie I would probably pick Fellini's "Armacord," though I have not seen it in probably two decades or something. But I have strong visual memories of it. I'm almost scared to go back and see it again for the fear that it won't live up to my memories of it. I love movies; I just don't get to watch them a lot. I can't remember the last time we went out to a movie, and we haven't even gotten around to hooking up the TV or the VCR, so we're completely out of touch.
You spent many years in South Africa. How did those years change you?
That was probably the experience that had the most impact on me. The country was exploding around me, and I watched and experienced people treating each other as badly as humanly possible. And I watched people reacting to that-sometimes in anger and hurt, certainly, but often with inspirational efforts to improve the situation, and that's what turned the country around. So I think for me the drama of seeing politics at its worst and politics at its best in an enhanced, lifelike situation changed my life. Thinking about how serious the issues are out there that we all face.
What's the best advice you've received?
I think the best advice I've always gotten, which was true when I was growing up-and most recently, a very distinguished emeritus professor at Amherst said the same thing to me when I got here-is "take risks and be yourself."
What are your thoughts about the upcoming presidential election?
Well, the same emeritus professor who gave me advice to be true to yourself has a book coming out called "Idiot Politics." What I worry about most in the upcoming presidential election is that we will devolve further into the idiot politics that seems to have captured California at the moment. I'm a believer in politics and a student of politics, and I think that the American electorate is capable of a much higher level of engagement than politicians and the political system give us. And even if I'm wrong about that I'd like to test the proposition, which we haven't done in a very long time. I worry that we will go through another electoral cycle in which that opportunity will not be taken. And given the challenges that face this country at this point, the risks involved in continuing to go down the path of idiot politics are potentially horrific.
What's in your CD player?
Well, I won't say who gets to put what in the CD player. We have a 5-disc CD player in the kitchen ... You have to keep in mind, we have varying tastes in the family. So, there's probably one opera disc in there. We've been listening to some Neil Young recently. There's probably some straight classical music in there. And I think I just-I think someone just put Prince in there the other day. I'm sorry, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.
Who are you rooting for in the World Series?
Ooh, I could get into trouble. I actually grew up a Mets fan, which is embarrassing in itself. You know, I've lived in New York, so I have to admit to some affection and dismay about the Yankees. But I do see the overwhelming tragic appeal of the Red Sox. (laughs) That's going to get me into trouble.
Okay, last question. What's surprised you most about Amherst so far?
Well, I think what surprised me-which shouldn't have been a surprise, but it certainly overwhelms me on a daily basis-is the array of issues that come into my office. And how incredibly engaged and smart the people are who are bringing them into my office, as well as the people I meet on the rare occasion that I get to step outside my office. I shouldn't be surprised by any of that, but it does amaze me every day. And it's wonderful. Just the individual surprises of the people I meet-the students I meet, and the faculty-and how inspired I am by them.