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Toni Morrison

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Toni Morrison

Born: January 01, 1970

Nationality: American

Occupation: Novelist, writer

Biography: Toni Morrison is an American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon and Beloved. She also was commissioned to write the libretto for a new opera, Margaret Garner, first performed in 2005.

Toni Morrison

“You marvel at the economy and this choice of words. How many ways can you describe the sky and the moon? After Sylvia Plath, what can you say?”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: On British mystery writer Ruth Rendell, in The New York Times (6 October 2005)

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Toni Morrison

“You need a whole community to raise a child. I have raised two children, alone.”

- Toni Morrison

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Toni Morrison

“Here is the house. It is green and white. It has a red door. It is very pretty.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: The Bluest Eye (1969) First lines

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Toni Morrison

“There is really nothing more to say — except why. But since why is difficult to handle, one must take refuge in how.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: The Bluest Eye (1969)

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Toni Morrison

“What difference do it make if the thing you scared of is real or not?”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: Song of Solomon (1977)

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Toni Morrison

“At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough. No record of it needs to be kept and you don't need someone to share it with or tell it to. When that happens — that letting go — you let go because you can.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: Tar Baby (1981)

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Toni Morrison

“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.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: Interview in Newsweek (30 March 1981)

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Toni Morrison

“You need intelligence, and you need to look. You need a gaze, a wide gaze, penetrating and roving — thats what's useful for art.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: Interview with Don Swaim (1987)

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Toni Morrison

“For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end. A little bit of hunger, but also satisfaction.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: Interview with Don Swaim (1987)

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Toni Morrison

“What I think the political correctness debate is really about is the power to be able to define. The definers want the power to name. And the defined are now taking that power away from them.”

- Toni Morrison

Source/Notes: As quoted in the New York Times Magazine (11 September 1994)

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