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."

I know that statistically, it has been proven that there is a tremendous amount of black on black crime within the inner cities.

The way to succeed is never quit. Thats it. But really be humble about it.

Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That is the way of the world.

Every death is like the burning of a library.

In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we came from.

Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.