January 15, 1991. Walking up Congress Avenue in Austin, with thousands of others, to see Mom sworn in as governor of Texas.
Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, March 2018 source ↗
When were you happiest?
Question
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Daily life
Question
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to?
Daily life
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Happiness is planting the vegetables, sleeping with my girlfriend, running, doing my work, sitting by the fire with a book and a glass of wine... I need a reason to be unhappy, but do not need one to be quietly cheerful.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 December 2009 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 576 →It’s hard to pick one time. I feel like I’m quite a happy person. My ninth birthday was epic, though.
Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, April 2014 source ↗
Last summer with my boyfriend Richie. We had no plans – it was just wonderful.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗
Zoë Wanamaker
American-born British actress
Getting married at Islington register office in 1994.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 March 2013 source ↗
More from Jeanette Winterson
View profile →Never stop when you are stuck. You may not be able to solve the problem, but turn aside and write something else. Do not stop altogether.
Recorded The Guardian Review, 20 February 2010 source ↗
Take no notice of anyone you don’t respect. […] Take no notice of anyone with a gender agenda. A lot of men still think that women lack imagination of the fiery kind.
Recorded The Guardian Review, 20 February 2010 source ↗
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