I am convinced that courage is the most important of all the virtues. Because without courage, you cannot practice any other virtue consistently. You can be kind for a while; you can be generous for a while; you can be just for a while, or merciful for a while, even loving for a while. But it is only with courage that you can be persistently and insistently kind and generous and fair.

The best comfort food will always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken.

Success is loving life and daring to live it.

I made the decision to quit show business. Give up the skintight dresses and manicured smiles. The false concern over sentimental lyrics. I would never again work to make people smile inanely and would take on the responsibility of making them think.

I long for the time when all human history is taught as one history, because it really is.

Live life as if it were created just for you.

You may not get what you paid for, but you will pay for what you get.