As a writer, I absorb stories, allow them to churn within my own head and heart - often for years - until I find a way of telling them that fits both my time and temperament.

Books transmit values. They explore our common humanity. What is the message when some children are not represented in those books?

When I began to read, I began to exist

Cutting people out of your life is easy, keeping them in is hard.

We need to tell young people that America was built by men and women of all colors and that the future of this country is dependent on the participation of all of our citizens.

Reading is not optional.

I'll never live to write all the stories I have in my head.

We need to tell kids flat out: reading is not optional.

Think about all the tomorrows of your life.

We all know we should eat right and we should exercise, but reading is treated as if it's this wonderful adjunct.

It's a hard life sometimes and the biggest temptation is to let how hard it is be an excuse to weaken

He who writes well runs the civilization. Everyone else does the grunt work.

we ask for too much salvation by legislation. All we need to do is empower individuals with the right philosophy and the right information to opt out en masse. (quoting Joel Salatin)

You're a lot of horrible things - untehical, sociopathic, evil even - but you're no idiot.

Shigure: *pokes Rit in the side* JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL! <3 Rit: *falls*

Unprovided with original learning unformed in the habits of thinking unskilled in the arts of composition I resolved to write a book.

It's a depleted - we have a very depleted military.

Occupy yourself in beholding and bewailing your own imperfections rather than contemplating the imperfections of others.

The true Islam has shown me that a blanket indictment of all white people is as wrong as when whites make blanket indictments against blacks.

A murderer was a worthy companion.

Until you take charge of your own life, things don't happen.