I think women dwell quite a bit on the duress under which they work, on how hard it is just to do it at all. We are traditionally rather proud of ourselves for having slipped creative work in there between the domestic chores and obligations. I'm not sure we deserve such big A-pluses for all that.

The body is ready to have babies. Nature wants it done then, when the body can handle it, not after 40, when the income can handle it.

He leans over and takes her hand. With the other he touches her face. ‘You your best thing, Sethe. You are.’ His holding fingers are holding hers. ‘Me? Me?

From my point of view, your life is already a miracle of chance waiting for you to shape its destiny.

My children are delightful people, whom I would love even if they weren't my children.

There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.

I really want some meaning. It used to be easy to toss it off. Now it's harder and harder. You have to navigate just to find something that has nourishment. It's the absence of nourishment. What do you do in place of nourishment? It's usually junk. Either it's junk food or junk clothes or junk ideas.