The screams of a hurt woman were indistinguishable from everyday traffic.

Me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow.

You your own best thing, Sethe. You are.

Everything I've ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than to close it.

Black boys became criminalized. I was in constant dread for their lives, because they were targets everywhere. They still are.

I couldn't bear to have people mispronounce my name. But the person I was was this person who was called Chloe.

Was it hard? I hope she didn't die hard.' Sethe shook her head. 'Soft as cream. Being alive was the hard part.