The vitality of language lies in its ability to limn the actual, imagined and possible lives of its speakers, readers, writers.

I know that my books are worthy, which is separate from me.

Like Guitar in Son of Solomon, and Son in Tar Baby, he believed that harmony could never exist between the races.

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

Sex is difficult to write about because it's just not sexy enough. The only way to write about it is not to write much. Let the reader bring his own sexuality into the text. A writer I usually admire has written about sex in the most off-putting way. There is just too much information.

But to find out the truth about how dreams die, one should never take the word of the dreamer.

I have a lot of respect for readers because I'm a reader. That's how I got into writing.