Toni Morrison: ‘I regret everything’ (2015 interview)

Nobel Prize-winning writer Toni Morrison discusses her novel, "God Help the Child." At 84, she looks back on her life and says she regrets everything. "It's not profound regret," she says. "It's just a wiping up of tiny little messes that you didn't recognize as mess when they were going on."

Originally broadcast April 20, 2015.

NOTE: Captions are auto-generated by YouTube.

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[SerendipitousTheory]

I love that she didn't let her phase, distract, upset, or make her feel negatively about herself. She owns herself good and bad this interviewer is as horrible as she is, but is a blessing because she is revealing how incredibly emotionally intelligent, graceful, and kind Toni Morrison is. It's a testimony to life that in the face of adversity, we can remain true to ourselves. This is amazing.

[pizzadrugmule]

Lol the way she turned that question around on the interviewer made me laugh out loud. God I love Toni. Her intellect is so beyond everyone that interviews her.

[gloriamargolis]

Toni thank God you have a great intellect and imagination to come up with some beautiful thoughtful books🙏 I’m a artist and shortly going to do a portrait of you, yet I knew nothing about you so I looked you up and here I am listening to some of your interviews on your books ❤😊🫶🙏. Thank you Toni for your heart and sharing your writings 🙏

[dameanvil]

00:39 📖 Toni Morrison's novel "God Help the Child" explores childhood wounds and their lasting impact into adulthood.
04:18 🎨 Morrison discusses the social construct of skin color and its impact, emphasizing its role in privileging certain shades closer to whiteness.
05:38 🎓 Morrison reflects on color preference within the African-American community, noting her awareness of it during her college years.
07:21 💥 Morrison recounts a childhood incident where her father confronted a perceived threat, reflecting on the impact of racial trauma.
10:18 🔥 Morrison discusses how childhood traumas can linger into adulthood, impacting self-reflection and regret.
14:58 🤔 Morrison reflects on her parenting, expressing regret and constant self-critique in hindsight.
16:50 🤯 Morrison highlights the mental struggle of negative reflection and boredom in later life, contrasting it with youthful optimism.
22:17 ✍ Writing serves as a refuge for Morrison, providing control and focus amidst physical and mental challenges.
23:12 🔥 Morrison draws from personal experience of a house fire, reflecting on the unexpected and sneaky nature of its beginnings.
26:37 🏠 Morrison mourns sentimental losses in a house fire, highlighting the significance of objects and memories.
28:11 📝 Names carry weight in Morrison's fiction, echoing historical legacies of naming and identity within the Black community.
30:14 📚 Toni Morrison discusses the personal significance of names, reflecting on her own experiences with different names throughout her life.
32:14 💒 Morrison talks about her baptism and the choice of Saint Anthony of Padua as her baptismal name.
33:23 📖 Morrison discusses her familiarity with the Bible, influenced by her mother's religious background and her own later studies.
35:38 🎶 Morrison reminisces about her mother's beautiful singing voice and its impact on her upbringing.
37:31 📻 Morrison reflects on how her childhood exposure to radio storytelling and her mother's singing influenced the musicality of her writing.
39:32 🖋 Morrison explains that she began writing in her late 30s after joining a group of faculty and writers, motivated by the desire to continue attending their meetings.

[aphronium]

Toni Morrison 🙌🌸🌼🌸🌼
You will forever be a beacon of light🙏

[Omoloya]

"This is my story, this is my song."
Oh, my God.

[danceatbacchanalia]

I hate to be rude but has this interviewer learned nothing from life let alone her apparent career in media and communication? Jeez.

[isaiahhunter]

Patronizing almost micro aggressive I think an interviewer that displays a lack of understanding should not have the opportunity to interview such a genius. We all know why she’s asks what she asks they refuse to see us and see our accomplishments

[nanoseconds]

A journalist, sharp stick and mother bear walk into a bar...

[Leeamm]

Toni is excellent but the interviewer is awful. Clueless.