"I'm writing for black people, in the same way that Tolstoy was writing for Russians, not for a little white island in the Caribbean."

"I never asked to be a spokesperson. I just write books."

"I write to find out what I think."

"I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that …"

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."