I think it's difficult for young people to acknowledge being smart, to knowledge being a reader. I see kids who are embarrassed to read books. They're embarrassed to have people see them doing it.

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

What are you doing to serve your customers a little more every day?

The older painting - well, it does have an effect all at once, I suppose, but it's of a lesser intensity than a lot of the American work in the last ten or fifteen years.

I do not find it easy to talk to people I don't know.

The publishing world is very timid. Readers are much braver.

Indian-styled garments are very popular in the U.S., especially in areas near the beach, like Hawaii and Los Angeles.

I've been loving music all my life.

Always think, 'what's the worst that can happen' and have some kind of strategy to deal with it

It's impossible to map out a route to your destination if you don't know where you're starting from.

Excellence requires discomfort.

The mighty Rain Holds the vast empire of the sky alone.