Ask Toni Morrison

Some years ago, I heard Toni Morrison say that she can never trust a white person. To this date I still wonder why. Has her views changed?

What writers inspire you? Why? What other genres and authors do you enjoy reading?

Hello Ms. Morrison, Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful gift of storytelling and writing with the world. The first book of yours I ever read was Song of Solomon and the opening passage starts on February 18th, which is my birthday. Is there some significance to you regarding this date?

Thanks again for being so wonderful, Luis

My 15 year old daughter lives to write; what advice do you have for aspiring writers such as she?

Hello Mrs. Morrison,
As an English major, I once took a course in which we read all of your novels and some of your nonfiction pieces. One thing I noticed in all of your books is that time was a critical element. You were able to travel the reader back and forth through time seemlessly. My question is, do you create a timeline for the characters prior to writing your novels? What is your prewriting process like?

One hip hop artist, Lupe Fiasco, recently created a 'narrative' album centered on three characters who personify the forces of urban life. Tell me, is the hip hop music the young people are holding living or dead?

Hi

As a sista, I understood when you appropriately crowned Bill C the "the first Black President"

However , why did you publicly support Obama- instead of the first female candicate?

Also, how will an Obama win give black boys (in particular), the much needed confidence to shine in the US and the developed world?

Greetings, Mrs. Morrison,

It is both a pleasure and an honor to hear or read any new about you. I first became aware of you during my undergraduate studies. Many of my professors would say to me, "You write like Tony Morrison." After being told more than once, I decided to see who this Tony person is. Nonetheless, I am an aspiring writer in seek of a publishing company and agent. What publishing advice would you give someone who wishes to share their manuscripts and short stories with the world?

MsMorrison, I enjoy your work.. One of my favorites is 'The Bluest Eye' which always wreaks havoc on my emotions (I have read it twice).

Ms. Morrison, I am a Black woman who has had a rough life of abuse and mayhem and am only now discovering who I am. I am 52 and love singing, acting, performing. I am ready to go for it, but I know I am rather seasoned to enter that field. What are your suggestions for me?

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Ms. Morrison,
In one of your nonfiction works, Playing in the Dark, you state that we must understand the impact of racism on those who perpetuate it. Do you think that in light of the recent race for the Democratic nomination, Americans have come to a better understanding of the impact of racism on whites? Have we made any moves in recent years to a better understanding?

Have you accomplished your artistic DREAM or do you still need to write and write to achieve eternal satisfaction?

Dear Prof.Morrison,

why and what are the reasons behind African Amerincas writers preoccupation with history and memory ?

Do you think that violence and gender are deployed individually and in combination as tropes for the recovery of history and memory as well as the revalidation of the African-American experience in Beloved? And how do you think your characters are gendered in this novel?

Yours Sincerely,

Bushra

Its more of a comment rather than a statement. I am truely inspired by your relax state mind,body and spirit. I have several of your books. I enjoy reading your work. May you continue to bbe bless and inspired.

Ms. Morrison, with the chance of Barack Obama being President of the United States, do you regret referring to Bill Clinton as the first black president, since those comments have been seen as indicative of the sentiments of the Black community, as a whole and especially now since former President Clinton has made comments that have been construed as race-baiting.

What do you like more... the fact that Obama is half black, or that he is almost as arrogant as you?

is falling in love now still possible

I have never owned a slave. My father and grandfather have never owned slaves. Their fathers never owned slaves. So f**k off.

Some years ago you said that Bill Clinton was America's first black president. After observing his behavior during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and, more recently, his racially charged words (or at the very least his racially insensitive words) on Hillary's campaign trail, do you still believe that Bill Clinton was America's first black president?

Do you support Obama because he's black? Could the same mentality be used to support Clinton because she's a woman?

I am a self-published author who adores the classic American writer, i.e., Ellison, Miller, Jones, Morrision, Hemingway (in no particular order). It seems to me that a lot of fiction that hits the market is far from the core contextual and stylistic fabric of the writing that folks in the traditional idiom of classical american fiction began. Though there is a fine line between a blueprint and originality, do you feel as though fiction authors hold a level of responsibility not only to create anew but to maintain the stylistic fabric of a classic author or perhaps genre in order to preserve the fraternity of classical american literature and its writers?

Who is your favovourite author and why?

This is a crucial election year, for many reasons: the historical moment, the convergence of gender and race. The question of race and gender is an old one, one that's often debated behind the closed doors of academia. But this election has thrust some of that discussion onto the mainstream stage. Sen. Obama's speech on race, in the wake of "scandal", touches on many points that have been discussed in literary and academic circles, but rarely with the population at large. Having the conversation is a start--but only a start. What do you think needs to be done to continue the conversation and effect real change in the future? How can we capitalize on this historic moment in a real way?

A few years back, you were featured on the Oprah Winfrey show and she was describing your words as food and how when she's indulging in your writing she just wants to spoon it up and devour.

In that moment she looked to you for an explanation to this food/hunger metaphor.

You looked at her and simply said. "That's called reading."

Your words are more than reading....It's called living...Thank You

How can you still support Sen. Clinton's campaign for the White House after she has divided this country by race to win the nomination. Fact, her husband and other surrogates were the first and I believe the only people in this debate constantly reminding voters that Sen. Obama is black and suggesting that his campaign was an Affirmative Action measure. Fact, she did not come out immediately and forcefully against Ferraro. Fact, she suggests Barack Obama is some sort of black power radical by constantly accusing Sen. Obama has ties to Ferrhakan and Ayers. How can you support her when she would throw black voters under a bus to win the nomination???

Please delete my previous post. I misread and thought she was a Clinton supporter. Sorry.