I love 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X.' That was like the only black book we read in high school. Junot Diaz autobiographyblackbook Change image and share on social
I was part of that group of kids growing up in the '80s under the Reagan regime, what I used to call 'living in the shadow of Dr. Manhattan,' where we would have dreams all the time that New York City was being destroyed, and that that wall of light and destruction was rolling out and would just devour our neighborhood. Junot Diaz 80scallcity share on social
Being an author is always like being a well-run dictatorship - it's all one person speaking. Junot Diaz authordictatorshipperson Change image and share on social
We have a whole bunch of young people and a whole bunch of families. Are we going to disrupt these families and tear them apart? Or are we going think, like, listen - these people are here. We've got to deal with this reality. We've got to extend the franchise. Junot Diaz bunchdealdisrupt share on social
I mean, look, we're living in a country where you can't have a non-denominational response. If you're slightly critical of either party, all of the partisans jump on you like you're a lunatic. Junot Diaz countrycriticaldenominational Change image and share on social
I do think that we all draw limits and I feel like part of the work of an artist is it shouldn't be fun. This shouldn't be comfortable. I'm not looking to make people feel unsafe, but I am looking to make people feel uncomfortable. Junot Diaz artistcomfortabledraw share on social
Art is not boosterism, it's not propaganda, and it's not spin, but that's not something that art does, and nor has it historically ever done it. Junot Diaz artboosterismhistorically Change image and share on social
Colleagues are a wonderful thing - but mentors, that's where the real work gets done. Junot Diaz colleaguementorreal Change image and share on social
When I read Toni Morrison and Sandra Cisneros as a freshman at Rutgers, it all clicked - that writing was all I wanted to do. It became my calling. Junot Diaz callcisnerosclick Change image and share on social
Even I thought I would be a writer who put something out every year. But that's not how it worked out. Junot Diaz putthinkwork Change image and share on social