There was a great deal of inbreeding between the Indians and the slaves. Genetically speaking, black people are some part black, some part European.

Brown people wouldn't speak to someone who was black.

Never completely encircle your enemy. Leave him some escape, for he will fight even more desperately if trapped.

You don't spend twenty years of your life in the service and not have a warm, nostalgic feeling left in you. It's a small service, and there's a lot of esprit de corps.

I travel a lot. It used to be, when I would go to any country, I could guarantee that the first question would establish my name, and the fact that I've written Roots, and the third question, at least no later than the fourth question would not be a question, so much as a statement, something like, "We understand that in America white people do such and such bad things to black people."

In my writing, as much as I could, I tried to find the good, and praise it.

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.