Americans think African writers will write about the exotic, about wildlife, poverty, maybe AIDS. They come to Africa and African books with certain expectations.

Never ever accept 'Because You Are A Woman' as a reason for doing or not doing anything.

The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.

We teach girls shame; close your legs, cover yourself, we make them feel as though by being born female they're already guilty of something.

To choose to write is to reject silence.

Of course I am not worried about intimidating men. The type of man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the type of man I have no interest in.

If you start thinking about being likable you are not going to tell your story honestly.

There are people who dislike you because you do not dislike yourself.

Our society teaches a woman at a certain age who is unmarried to see it as a deep personal failure. While a man at a certain age who is unmarried has not quite come around to making his pick.

Privilege blinds, because it's in its nature to blind. Don't let it blind you too often. Sometimes you will need to push it aside in order to see clearly.

Culture does not make people. People make culture.

Humans can be anything you want, Only when alone.

Let everyone who has the grace of intelligence fear that because of it he will be judged more heavily if he is negligent.

I've felt real pain, and sometimes I channel the exhale coming out of that to write, and those are the songs that give me the most power and the most strength.

You can't come up against the world's most powerful intelligence agencies and not accept the risk. If they want to get you, over time they will.

I would love to take off the stilettos and put the boots back on. Strap something to my hip, and let's go!

Every person has a zakaat (to pay) and the zakaat of the body is fasting.

Catch people in the act of doing something right.

My love is unique an none can rival her. Just by passing, she has already stolen away my heart.

Ive always written poetry and lyrics. My first husband, who was a musician, we wrote a bunch of songs together.

The wars come and go in blood and tears; but whether they are bad wars, or what are comically called good wars, they are of one effect in death and sorrow.