I have found that the greatest help in meeting any problem with decency and self-respect and whatever courage is demanded, is to know where you yourself stand. That is, to have in words what you believe and are acting from.

The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.

Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but that's the only way you can do anything really good.

The salvation of the world is in man's suffering.

It's a shame that the only thing a man can do for eight hours a day is work. He can't eat for eight hours; he can't drink for eight hours; he can't make love for eight hours. The only thing a man can do for eight hours is work.

I'd have wasted a lot of time and trouble before I learned that the best way to take all people, black or white, is to take them for what they think they are, then leave them alone.

The scattered tea goes with the leaves and every day a sunset dies.