At the very beginning,

when I wrote the first book, “The Bluest Eye,”

I came at it as not a writer, but a reader.

And such a story didn't exist.

Every little homely, black girl was a joke

or didn't exist in literature.

And I was eager to read about a story

where racism really hurts and can destroy you.”

“You don't think you will ever change and write books

that incorporate white — white lives

into them substantially?”

“I have done.”

“In a substantial way?”

“You can't understand how powerfully racist

that question is, can you?

As you could never ask a white author:

'When are you going to write about black people?'”

“Toni Morrison's prose brings us that kind of

moral and emotional intensity

that few writers ever attempt.

From “Song of Solomon” to “Beloved,”

Toni reaches us deeply,

using a tone that is lyrical, precise, distinct

and inclusive.”

“There would never have been a book club

had there not been you as an author.”

“Really?”

“No.

So I thank you, Ms. Morrison.”

“This is fabulous.”

“Yes — never would have been one without you.

Never would have been.”

“Well, you know, I'm trying not to write just because

I can or just write more.

I'm trying to write less that means more, that says more.

For me it's extremely important

for the clarification not only of the past,

but of who we are as human beings in this country.”

“I was editing a book at Random House.

And it was a kind of scrapbook of all sorts of things

that emanated from African-American culture.

And I came across this woman, Margaret Garner,

and the story was that a slave woman had killed her children

or tried to kill them all.

What struck me was the theme was that she was not crazy.

And they were stunned to find her A: articulate,

B: sane and 3: interested in doing it again.”

“I know how to write forever.

I don't think I could have happily

stayed here with the calamity that has occurred

so often in the world

if I did not have a way of thinking about it, past,

present, future, which is what writing is for me.

It's control.

Nobody tells me what to do.

I am in control.

It is my world.

It's sometimes wild,

the process by which I arrive at something.

But nevertheless, it's mine,

it's free and it's a way of thinking.

It's pure knowledge.

You're welcome.”