The locale of an interview is important for atmosphere and privacy. Better on the subject's home ground than in a company office because conversation can be freer and with fewer interruptions. Restaurants are poor places to conduct interviews, unless you can find a quiet corner where the cutlery isn't rattling and the ma"tre d' isn't coming over every few minutes to ask you if everything's all right so far, sir -- on tape. I also happen to dislike what I think of as gastronomic interviews, where the interviewer tells the reader what the subject ate and food is used to break up quotations ("She ordered a second Perrier with a lime twist, nibbled on her shrimp salad with sesame seeds, then continued . . ."), as if some major character revelation were hidden on a lunch plate.

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