“I am charmed by the idea that there is an activity known as work and another as play, although even in grade school the distinction eluded me. I remember how full of hope I was sitting in first-period home room listening to the teacher divide up our activities into purposeful sections. I got a grip on her process, at last, by picturing it in the following way: A cow stands in clover. When she is milked, that is her work; when she is merely eating, that is her play. But the problem lay, then as now, in the realization that, in any case, she is standing in clover. Not a handsome or elegant analogy, but it approximates for me the habit of reading - standing in a world of clover, the eating of which is occasionally utilitarian, usually nourishing, because that's what one does”

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About Toni Morrison

American novelist and Nobel laureate in literature, Toni Morrison is best known for her lyrical, psychologically rich explorations of Black identity, history, and trauma. Her works, including *Beloved* and *Song of Solomon*, redefine American literature with their depth and moral complexity.

More from Toni Morrison (175 quotes) →
"I am charmed by the idea that there is an activity known as work and…" — Toni Morrison | Daily Quotes