Real change is always violent, but it may hurt a lot less than what's in place before the violence occurs. John Edgar Wideman changehurtlot Change image and share on social
I always liked to write and had fun writing, but I didn't have any pretensions about being a writer. I liked to read and liked to putz around and write little stories or poems, but my thing was sports. John Edgar Wideman funpoempretension share on social
My aunt Geraldine was the unofficial historian and storyteller. She had all the information about family members and the gossip that came out of the church because we were very much part of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. At family gatherings, the older folk had the floor, had pride of place, and it was their stories I remember. John Edgar Wideman africanauntchurch share on social
I wish I had time to listen to music more. John Edgar Wideman listenmusictime Change image and share on social
I write what I want to write, and then, when it's finished, I use my judgment to see whether or not I think it's intrusive. If it is problematic, then I ask those involved. I won't necessarily do what they say. But I do consult. I haven't had too many problems. Nobody's really gotten angry at me. Nobody, as far as I know, has felt betrayed. John Edgar Wideman angrybetrayconsult share on social
What basketball expresses is what jazz expresses. Certain cultural predispositions to make art. All African-American art has a substratum, or baseline, of improvisation and spontaneity. You find that in both basketball and jazz. John Edgar Wideman africanamericanart share on social
My mother was a reader; my father was a reader. Not anything particularly sophisticated. My mother read fat historical or romantic novels; my father liked to read Westerns, Zane Grey, that kind of stuff. Whatever they brought in, I read. John Edgar Wideman bringfatfather share on social
In Haiti, as I understand it, storytelling and history itself are not a business of necessarily elucidating facts or the truth of an incident, but finding the version that is most entertaining and therefore will get retold and live in immortality. John Edgar Wideman businesselucidateentertain share on social
I have written about the women around me. My ancestors, my relatives, lovers. It was a way of trying to make it all make sense. John Edgar Wideman ancestorlovermake Change image and share on social
I often want things to make definite statements. If I order onions sliced thinly on my hamburger, I don't want them to come out sort of medium. But that doesn't mean it's a reasonable desire, in all things. John Edgar Wideman definitedesirehamburger share on social