James A. Michener

I was brought up in the great tradition of the late nineteenth century: that a writer never complains, never explains and never disdains.

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.

I was brought up in the great tradition of the late nineteenth century: that a writer never complains, never explains and never disdains.

The arrogance of the artist is a very profound thing, and it fortifies you.  

The permanent temptation of life is to confuse dreams with reality. The permanent defeat of life comes when dreams are surrendered to reality.

The really great writers are people like Emily Bronte who sit in a room and write out of their limited experience and unlimited imagination.

There are no insoluble problems. Only time-consuming ones.

I was brought up in the great tradition of the late nineteenth century: that a writer never complains, never explains and never disdains.

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter.

If a man happens to find himself, he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life.

I don't know who my parents were. I know nothing about my inheritance. I could be Jewish; I could be part Negro; I could be Irish; I could be Russian. I am spiritually a mix anyway, but I did have a solid childhood fortunately, because of some wonderful women who brought me up. I never had a father or a man in the house, and that was a loss, but you live with that loss.