There's something human that has to do with time and space and being who I am that is in progress and always will be in progress. And who I am, on different days, different moments, depends on different aspects of my past.

There is no American history. There is no French history. There is no John Wideman. There are all these dreams that are floating around. People construct them and fight with them and criticize them, and the world goes on. I don't think the stars pay much attention.

To be a survivor as an African American man - maybe any man - you have to be pretty tough. Or at least that's what we all understand.

As a writer, you don't know what the hell you're doing. You're just doing it. You hope it works out well.

I believe - what did Faulkner say? "The past is not even past."

If Mumia Abu-Jamal has nothing important to say, why are so many powerful people trying to shut him up?

I want to give the evidence in a way that is convincing, but I don't want to cheat.