You have to choose between what the world expects of you and what you want for yourself, — James McBride Copy Share Image
Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold… — James McBride Copy Share Image
There are some really great books that have been written about slavery, but I don't think that the discourse about it in society has been very accurate or healthy. I don't think we've come up with ways to tell it that don't insult people or hit them in the wrong way. Part of the problem is that most people don't… — James McBride Copy Share
There are two responses to really awful things. One is to lament and say, "Oh my God, oh lord." And the other is to… — James McBride Copy Share Image
If you're going to cheat and take people's history and you're not writing the Bible, you ain't really so great. But if you try… — James McBride Copy Share Image
“Most cars drove through there because the drivers is either from The Bottom and wanna get home - or they ain't from The Bottom… — James McBride Copy Share Image
There has to be some mystery in life, because the joy of being a writer and the joy of being a musician is the… — James McBride Copy Share Image
“And when James asked what color God was, she said, God is the color of water.” — James McBride Copy Share Image
I'm proud of 'Miracle at St. Anna' and I loved it; there's no question in my mind it's as good as any movie that… — James McBride Copy Share Image
“back,” Daddy said. “It’ll work out.” He had no idea what to do about Helen. They spoke a completely different language. He was an old-timer who called school “schoolin”’ and called me “boy.” He had run off from Jim Crow in the South and felt that education, any education, was a privilege. Helen was far beyond that. Weeks passed, months,… — James McBride Copy Share
I'm one of the few Black writers, or African American writers, who managed to work my way through the system so that it has… — James McBride Copy Share Image
