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A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.

Toni Morrison

For me the history of the place of black people in this country is so varied, complex and beautiful. And impactful.
TONI MORRISON

Beautiful Black Lives Matter Complex Country History Impact Place
We mistook violence for passion, indolence for leisure, and thought recklessness was freedom.
TONI MORRISON

Freedom Leisure Passion Violence
I’ve spent my entire writing life trying to make sure that the white gaze was not the dominant one in any of my books.
TONI MORRISON

Book Dominant Life Spend Try White Writing
Love is or it ain’t. Thin love ain’t love at all.
TONI MORRISON

Love One Liner
I type in one place, but I write all over the house.
TONI MORRISON

House Place Writing
Anger is better. There is a sense of being in anger. A reality and presence. An awareness of worth. It is a lovely surging.
TONI MORRISON

Angry Aware Love Presence Reality Worth
Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe.
TONI MORRISON

Man People Safe Stupidity Violence Weakness Wicked
Make a difference about something other than yourselves.
TONI MORRISON

Attitude Difference Fashion Motivational Passion Yourself
It was a fine cry – loud and long – but it had no bottom and it had no top, just circles and circles of sorrow.
TONI MORRISON

Circle Cry Loud Sad Sorrow
Black people’s music is in a class by itself and always has been.
TONI MORRISON

Black Lives Matter Music People
If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.
TONI MORRISON

Book Reading Want
There is no such thing as race. None. There is just a human race – scientifically, anthropologically. Racism is a construct, a social construct, it has a social function, racism.
TONI MORRISON

Construction Function Human Race Racism Social
He wants to put his story next to hers.
TONI MORRISON

Couple Love Story Want
I get angry about things, then go on and work.
TONI MORRISON

Angry Work
In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.
TONI MORRISON

Country White
I think some aspects of writing can be taught. Obviously, you can’t teach vision or talent. But you can help with comfort.
TONI MORRISON

Comfortable Help Talent Teaching Writing

A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.

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A writer’s life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Toni Morrison Quotes