Kerry Dupont grew up in New Hampshire. She was interested in politics and culture from an early age when she worked for then Governor John Sununu, later to become Chief of Staff to President G.H.W. Bush. After university Kerry lived in Boston, working at Harvard Business School, then took a job in the corporate field before moving back to New Hampshire. She subsequently married and had two boys, now aged 8 and 9, and blogging took her back to politics - specifically to a long-held interest in the Middle East. These days, you'll find her travelling as much as at home. When not in Iraq or California, she is in the beautiful State of Maine. Kerry blogs at Literal Thoughts.
Why do you blog? > To try to make sense of my thoughts and experiences by writing them out and sharing them with others.
What has been your best blogging experience? > When I decided to try to assist Iraqi bloggers in late 2003/early 2004. It led me to relationships and experiences I couldn't have dreamed of. Blogging very much changed my life.
What has been your worst blogging experience? > Feeling like I was unable to blog.
What are you reading at the moment? > Desert Queen by Janet Wallach, a biography of Gertrude Bell.
Who are your cultural heroes? > Freya Stark; Thoreau.
What is the best novel you've ever read? > Les Miserables. Sounds cliché, but I read it in high school and it really had a profound effect on me. In fact I refuse to see any production of it because I love the book so much.
What is your favourite poem? > One that was written for me. Otherwise, I've always had a soft spot for Rilke.
What is your favourite song? > 'The Star-Spangled Banner'.
Can you name a major moral, political or intellectual issue on which you've ever changed your mind? > Sure, many, but 'social justice' and what that means are the most important.
Who are your political heroes? > Truman, Reagan, Mithal Al Alusi.
What is your favourite piece of political wisdom? > Abraham Lincoln was once talking with a woman about how the North must treat the South. She disagreed with him, and said that she felt that we must destroy our enemies. Lincoln replied, 'What, madam? Do I not destroy them when I make them my friends?'
What would you do with the UN? > Sadly, I think it is past rescuing: too much corruption. Send it the way of the League of Nations, or let Europe host it since they seem to find it more useful. I once had a contest for what else UN might stand for; my favourite was 'unending negotiations'. Let's just say I'm not a fan.
What do you consider to be the main threat to the future peace and security of the world? > The inability of people to see freedom and justice as the main components in the concept of peace.
Do you think the world (human civilization) has already passed its best point, or is that yet to come? > The best is definitely yet to come.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life? > Don't dwell on age or death - instead celebrate life in every way that you can.
Do you think you could ever be married to, or in a long-term relationship with, someone with radically different political views from your own? > Yes.
What do you consider the most important personal quality? Generosity of spirit.
What personal fault do you most dislike? > Hubris.
Do you have any prejudices you're willing to acknowledge? > I hate whiners, and I don't tolerate 'girly' girls well.
What is your favourite proverb? > It's a tie between 'Examine what is said, not him who speaks' and 'Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it'.
What commonly enjoyed activities do you regard as a waste of time? > Watching TV.
What, if anything, do you worry about? > What don't I worry about?
If you were to relive your life to this point, is there anything you'd do differently? > Yes. But since that isn't going to happen it's more important to concentrate on the future.
What would your ideal holiday be? > Locked in a library with comfy leather reading chairs, daybeds, floor-to-ceiling full bookcases, a fireplace, some good red wine, cheese, fruit, bread, chocolate, and someone I love.
What do you like doing in your spare time? > Reading, running, writing, hiking, pretty much anything to do with books or the outdoors. Spending time with people I care about.
What is your most treasured possession? > A rock from Baghdad (it's like my talisman), and a collection of journals.
What talent would you most like to have? > Natural athleticism. I have to work at it.
Which baseball team do you support? > The Boston Red Sox.
How, if at all, would you change your life were you suddenly to win or inherit an enormously large sum of money? > I'd travel more.
What animal would you most like to be? > A lioness - like a house cat, but with more controlled power.
[The normblog profile is a weekly Friday morning feature. A list of the first 52 profiles, and the links to them, can be found here. Details of subsequent profiles are here.]