I go to a hotel and try to get there by 5:30 in the morning. I keep a dictionary, a thesaurus, a bible, a deck of playing cards, a bottle of sherry, and stacks of yellow sticky pads. I shut myself in for six, seven hours. I have an arrangement with the hotel that no one may go in my room. After three or four months, they might slip notes under my door like, "Dear Ms. Angelou, please let us change the linens. We think they might be molding." It's probably true. I let them in if they promise not to touch anything other then the bed.

I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.

I sustain myself with the love of family.

The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free.

It may in fact be utterly impossible to be successful without helping others to become successful.

I never have written every day. When I'm writing a book, I write Monday through Friday. I always try to take Saturday and pretend to have some sanity.

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.