It is a very grave matter to be forced to imitate a people for whom you know-which is the price of your performance and survival-you do not exist. It is hard to imitate a people whose existence appears, mainly, to be made tolerable by their bottomless gratitude that they are not, thank heaven, you.
James A. BaldwinThe South is very beautiful but its beauty makes one sad because the lives that people live here, and have lived here, are so ugly.
James A. BaldwinTo be with God is really to be involved in some enormous, overwhelming desire, and joy, and power which you cannot control, which controls you.
James A. Baldwin