“The forbidden word can be provocative. But after a while it becomes monotonous rather than arousing.”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: forbidden words, Obscenity, Monotony
“Sex is difficult to write about because it’s just not sexy enough.”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: Sex, Writing
“My feelings are the result of prejudices and convictions like everybody else’s.”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: Feelings, Prejudice, Convictions
“The difficulty for me in writing—among the difficulties—is to write language that can work quietly on a page for a reader who doesn’t hear anything. Now for that, one has to work very carefully with what is in between the words. What is not said. Which is measure, which is rhythm, and so on. So, it…”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: Writing, rhythm
“I tell my students one of the most important things they need to know is when they are their best, creatively. They need to ask themselves, What does the ideal room look like? Is there music? Is there silence? Is there chaos outside or is there serenity outside? What do I need in order to release my…”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: Writing
“But although history should not become a straitjacket, which overwhelms and binds, neither should it be forgotten.”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: History, straitjacket
“Writing before dawn began as a necessity—I had small children when I first began to write and I needed to use the time before they said, Mama—and that was always around five in the morning.”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: Writing
“I only know that I will never again trust my life, my future, to the whims of men, in companies or out. Never again will their judgment have anything to do with what I think I can do. That was the wonderful liberation of being divorced and having children. I did not mind failure, ever, but I minded…”— Toni Morrison, theparisreview.orgTagged: Misandry, empowerment, Divorce, Failure