I'm not entangled in shaping my work according to other people's views of how I should have done it.

Quote by Toni Morrison

Topics: Toni Morrison Quotes

In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.

In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.

My children are delightful people, whom I would love even if they weren't my children.

My children are delightful people, whom I would love even if they weren't my children.

Somebody has to take responsibility for being a leader.

Somebody has to take responsibility for being a leader.

At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph,...

At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph,...

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,...

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,...

Black people are victims of an enormous amount of violence. None of those things can...

Black people are victims of an enormous amount of violence. None of those things can...

I like marriage. The idea.

I like marriage. The idea.

Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with...

Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with...

Nelson Mandela is, for me, the single statesman in the world. The single statesman, in...

Nelson Mandela is, for me, the single statesman in the world. The single statesman, in...

The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are...

The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are...

Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.

Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.

Black literature is taught as sociology, as tolerance, not as a serious, rigorous art form.

Black literature is taught as sociology, as tolerance, not as a serious, rigorous art form.

If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written...

If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written...

It's been mentioned or suggested that Paradise will not be well studied, because it's about...

It's been mentioned or suggested that Paradise will not be well studied, because it's about...

Everything I've ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than...

Everything I've ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than...

She is a friend of mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she...

She is a friend of mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she...

You need a whole community to raise a child. I have raised two children, alone.

You need a whole community to raise a child. I have raised two children, alone.

If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it.

If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it.

Some Native American writers enjoy being called Native American writers.

Some Native American writers enjoy being called Native American writers.

I merged those two words, black and feminist, because I was surrounded by black women...

I merged those two words, black and feminist, because I was surrounded by black women...