I often wonder what I'd do if there weren't any books in the world.

Any honest examination of the national life proves how far we are from the standard of human freedom with which we began. The recovery of this standard demands of everyone who loves this country a hard look at himself, for the greatest achievements must begin somewhere, and they always begin with the person.

Love is like the lightning, and your maturity is signaled by the extent to which you can accept the dangers and the power and the beauty of love.

A liberal: someone who thinks he knows more about your experience than you do.

It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate.

The power of the white world is threatened whenever a black man refuses to accept the white world's definitions.

Most of us are about as eager to change as we were to be born, and go through our changes in a similar state of shock.