James Baldwin Quotes

James Baldwin
James Baldwin
American Novelist
Born: Aug 2, 1924
Died: Dec 1, 1987
People Think Time Who World You
Related authors: Elie Wiesel Ernest Hemingway H. P. Lovecraft Herman Melville John Updike Leo Rosten Nathaniel Hawthorne Richard Bach
It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive. James Baldwin
Me People Books Alive Tormented Had Most Were Been Very Taught Who Connected Ever Things
The questions which one asks oneself begin, at least, to illuminate the world, and become one's key to the experience of others. James Baldwin
Experience World Key Become Others Oneself Least Questions Begin Which Ask Illuminate
There is a 'sanctity' involved with bringing a child into this world: it is better than bombing one out of it. James Baldwin
World Better Sanctity Out Involved Than Child Bombing Bringing
Education is indoctrination if you're white - subjugation if you're black. James Baldwin
Education You Black White Indoctrination Subjugation
The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate knowledge of its ugly side. James Baldwin
Knowledge Ugly Side Intimate Pursuing Price Calling Any Pays Profession
To act is to be committed, and to be committed is to be in danger. James Baldwin
Danger Committed Act
When a man asks himself what is meant by action he proves that he isn't a man of action. Action is a lack of balance. In order to act you must be somewhat insane. A reasonably sensible man is satisfied with thinking. James Baldwin
You Man Balance Action Satisfied Thinking Insane Must Somewhat He Himself Proves Lack Order Sensible Ask Act Meant Reasonably
You know, it's not the world that was my oppressor, because what the world does to you, if the world does it to you long enough and effectively enough, you begin to do to yourself. James Baldwin
You Yourself World Long Oppressor Enough Know Because Does Effectively Begin
The future is like heaven, everyone exalts it, but no one wants to go there now. James Baldwin
Future Everyone No-One Like Go Heaven Wants Now
No people come into possession of a culture without having paid a heavy price for it. James Baldwin
Culture People Possession Having Price Come Without Heavy Paid
The question of sexual dominance can exist only in the nightmare of that soul which has armed itself, totally, against the possibility of the changing motion of conquest and surrender, which is love. James Baldwin
Love Soul Surrender Changing Possibility Sexual Totally Only Armed Motion Exist Question Dominance Itself Which Against Conquest Nightmare
It is a very rare man who does not victimize the helpless. James Baldwin
Man Rare Does Very Who Helpless
People can cry much easier than they can change. James Baldwin
Change People Easier Cry Than Much
The responsibility of a writer is to excavate the experience of the people who produced him. James Baldwin
Experience People Responsibility Writer Him Produced Who
Voyagers discover that the world can never be larger than the person that is in the world; but it is impossible to foresee this, it is impossible to be warned. James Baldwin
World Impossible Never Discover Foresee Than Person Warned Larger
I want to be an honest man and a good writer. James Baldwin
Good Man Honest Man Writer Good Writer Want Honest
The noblest spirit is most strongly attracted by the love of glory. James Baldwin
Love Spirit Strongly Noblest Most Attracted Glory
Confronted with the impossibility of remaining faithful to one's beliefs, and the equal impossibility of becoming free of them, one can be driven to the most inhuman excesses. James Baldwin
Free Faithful Remaining Excess Driven Most Equal Becoming Impossibility Them Confronted Inhuman Beliefs
The only thing that white people have that black people need, or should want, is power-and no one holds power forever. James Baldwin
People Black Power White Only No-One Forever Want The Only Thing Holds Should Thing Need
It is a great shock at the age of five or six to find that in a world of Gary Coopers you are the Indian. James Baldwin
Great You Age World Find Indian Five Shock Six Gary
We have all had the experience of finding that our reactions and perhaps even our deeds have denied beliefs we thought were ours. James Baldwin
Experience Thought Our Ours Finding Had Perhaps Reactions Were Denied Deeds Even Beliefs
Pessimists are the people who have no hope for themselves or for others. Pessimists are also people who think the human race is beneath their notice, that they're better than other human beings. James Baldwin
Hope People Better Think Other Beneath Others No Hope Also Than Human Human Beings Race Themselves Notice Pessimists Who Human Race Beings
Most of us are about as eager to be changed as we were to be born, and go through our changes in a similar state of shock. James Baldwin
Changed Changes State Our Born About Similar Through Most Go Were Shock Us Eager
The writer's greed is appalling. He wants, or seems to want, everything and practically everybody, in another sense, and at the same time, he needs no one at all. James Baldwin
Time Needs Greed Sense Everybody Everything Seems Writer No-One He Practically Another Same Same Time Want Wants Appalling
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