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Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations
Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations | Toni Morrison
Here is Toni Morrison in her own words: a rich gathering of her most important essays and speeches, spanning four decades. These pages give us her searing prayer for the dead of 9/11, her Nobel lecture on the power of language, her searching meditation on Martin Luther King Jr., her heart-wrenching eulogy for James Baldwin. She looks deeply into the fault lines of culture and freedom: the foreigner, female empowerment, the press, money, "black matter(s)," human rights, the artist in society, the Afro-American presence in American literature. And she turns her incisive critical eye to her own work (The Bluest Eye, Sula, Tar Baby, Jazz, Beloved, Paradise) and that of others. An essential collection from an essential writer, The Source of Self-Regard shines with the literary elegance, intellectual prowess, spiritual depth, and moral compass that have made Toni Morrison our most cherished and enduring voice. "Profoundly insightful. . . . Speaks to today's social and political moment as directly as this morning's headlines." --NPR
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JuliaTheBookNerd
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#Essays 📝 #SchoolSpirit 🏫🎒🔔🚌👩‍🏫🍎✏️📓📚

#BookNerd 🤓💙📚

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect ❤️ 2mo
Eggs Brilliant 👏🏻 2mo
47 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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cant_i'm_booked
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Mehso-so

I clearly remember being assigned Morrison‘s novel “Song of Solomon” in 8th grade English: I couldn‘t recall the story now but I can recall the feelings of nostalgia, beauty, contemplation the book drew from me (which is hard to do in a 14 year old)! This book of essays has not replicated that (I think Morrison is a better fiction writer than essayist) but it still doesn‘t take away from the pleasure of, in a way, “being in her company.”

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Becker
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Pickpick

Well worth reading if you are a big Morrison fan. I particularly enjoyed the essays where she discusses her own books, but there were also a handful of essays that were very heavy handed. And the themes were a bit repetitive. It‘s still a privilege to read her work. 🏆

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SW-T
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Pickpick

This collection of essays is excellent and remind me just how brilliant Toni Morrison was. This was a library copy, but I‘m definitely going to get my own copy and reread these.

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CuriousG
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I'm posting one book per day from the ever growing unread stacks in my personal library. No description or explanation, just books I own and plan to read. #tbr

Day 64 (Audible edition)

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brandierickson
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Toni Morrison is brilliant and these essays make me want to write.

Come-read-with-me Stacked! 4y
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Beautiful essays!!

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rmaclean4
Mehso-so

Like most collections of essays and speeches at times this was a bit representative. I did make me want to reread all of her books! 3 🌟

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Texreader
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Although written 15 years ago, this essay on Racism and Fascism could be describing this moment in time. Morrison also describes very well here why I do not subscribe to either major political party.

GingerAntics It sure does. I refuse to sign up for any party. Having to sign up and be on a roll is just way too nazi party for me. 4y
SamAnne So spot on. 4y
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Texreader
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This book started right off with observations I completely agree with; this will be a bleak but necessary read I believe.

Butterfinger Yep. The media is attacked; then censored. Books are burned which limits growth of opinions. November can't come soon enough for me. 4y
58 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Texreader
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Now starting this book for #authoramonth, the first of two I hope to read this month by Toni Morrison. The second book is God Help the Child. @Soubhiville

Prairiegirl_reading I‘m super curious about this one! 4y
sudi I started this one too 🙌👯 4y
70 likes2 comments
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tholmz
Pickpick

It‘s tough for me to read a big essay/speech collection but not when it‘s Toni. Gorgeous, and I plan to buy this one so I can pick and choose essays to read again and again.

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Texreader
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Bookish birthday gift from my friend Elise! ❤️

Prairiegirl_reading This cover is much nice than the plain pink cover I‘ve seen. 4y
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Jen2
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Can‘t wait to read this one too!!

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alisonrose
Pickpick

Always humbling when you think you‘re smart but you read something by someone way smarter & you‘re like, dang, I‘m not that smart. Morrison was such an incisive, deep thinker, an astute observer of humanity. A lot to ponder here—almost too much. B/c it‘s from years & years of her life, there are some nearly verbatim lines/paragraphs repeated in a few pieces. Could‘ve been pared down to avoid. Bit too academic at times, but def worth a read! 4/5 ⭐️

LazyDays I love when that happens! Gives me new things to learn and discover! 5y
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alisonrose

Those who claim the superiority of Western culture are entitled to that claim only when Western civilization is measured thoroughly against other civilizations and not found wanting, and when Western civilization owns up to its own sources in the cultures that preceded it.

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alisonrose
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alisonrose
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Authoritarian regimes, dictators, despots are often, but not always, fools.

#firstlinefridays

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alisonrose

Literature allows us—no, demands of us—the experience of ourselves as multidimensional persons. And in so doing is far more necessary than it has ever been.

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alisonrose

I refuse the prison of “I” and choose the open spaces of “we.”

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alisonrose

Leaders who find war the sole and inevitable solution to disagreement, displacement, aggression, injustice, abasing poverty seem not only helplessly retrograde, but intellectually deficient, precisely like the empurpled comic-book language in which they express themselves.

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alisonrose
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I‘ve been wanting to read this since it came out, but I also wanted to wait for the paperback so I could have this beautiful cover image of her 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 #nowreading

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theinfophile
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Absolutely had to get the UK version of this Toni Morrison, known as THE SOURCE OF SELF-REGARD in the U.S. Also picked up some Audre Lorde.
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#books #bookish #booknerd #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #igbooks #booklover #book #librarian #booklife #amreading #book #reader #reading #wellreadblackgirl #blackgirlsread #shoplocal #tonimorrison #audrelorde #blackwomenauthors

Nute Yes! 5y
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Tameeka
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Showed a lot of self restraint yesterday and only bought 2 books at a book fair. And it was a LOT of restraint because all books were at least 50% off😬
#blacklitsy

JSW You are so strong. 😬😬 5y
Tameeka @JSW it was so hard. So, so hard. 5y
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toastykitten
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toastykitten
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Toni Morrison talking about racism and fascism in the 90s. Every brilliant word still sadly relevant.

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Krose1
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Pickpick

Oh man, this book made me feel like I was back in school. It made me think really hard, which made it harder to read, but also made me very envious of anyone who was able to be taught by Toni Morrison. She will be missed.

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UnabridgedPod
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Pickpick

I have some regrets about choosing to listen to Toni Morrison's The Source of Self-Regard, mainly because I'm a much stronger reader than I am listener when it comes to books. I know that I got about *thismuch* of the depth of Morrison's thoughts through this selection of essays. I know, however, that it would have been a looong time before I'd gotten to this one, and so I'm grateful for Scribd (continued in comments)

UnabridgedPod which let me enjoy Morrison's assessment of our society, her analysis of her own works, and her consideration of a variety of other important figures, both literary and not. My favorite parts were her discussions about her own authorial decisions. ⬇️ 5y
UnabridgedPod Sometimes, those were about her choice of topic; at other times, she focused on a choice of words. In all cases, I found Morrison's work to be so thought provoking and brilliant . . . and I want desperately to re-read her novels. It's been a while.⠀

How often does format make a difference in your appreciation for or understanding of a book?
5y
13 likes2 comments
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kgriffith
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“For one‘s language — the one we dream in — is home.” #Scribd #audiobook

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kgriffith
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Switching to Toni Morrison‘s latest, to celebrate the life of someone who gave so much to our world. I read Sula in my first ever college class, women‘s literature survey. Rest in Power, Beloved. #readblackwomen

staci.reads I'm stunned and heartbroken, realizing there will be no new work. 5y
Bibliogeekery I love Sula so much! RIP 5y
41 likes3 comments
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JSW
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We have lost one of our dearest Elders. Rest, Queen. ❤️📚

Suet624 💕💕 5y
Bibliogeekery 💔 Huge loss! 5y
readordierachel 💔❤ 5y
35 likes3 comments
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JSW
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Thrilled to find this one on the shelf at the library!

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MEGR
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Pickpick

Go see this film 🎞 IMMEDIATELY if not sooner! It‘s the medicine the world 🌍 needs. GO, GO, GO!

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jchawkins
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ephemeralwaltz
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Treat yourself! 💸

readordierachel Absolutely 👍🏼🎉 5y
Notafraidofwords Loved it 5y
Weaponxgirl I want to read this so much! 5y
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Purrsistently
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Starting this, finally!

Emilymdxn I loved it so much! 6y
65 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Purrsistently
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When all your holds somehow come in at the same time😅😅😅 #tbr

Booknerd2 HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!!!! 💜💜💜😂🤣 6y
101 likes1 comment
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Emilymdxn
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Pickpick

Pretty perfect as non fiction goes! Toni Morrison is fast becoming one of my favourite writers of all time. There‘s almost no other author I could read analyse their own work like this without it seeming pretentious, but she‘s always so natural and down to earth, yet intensely mindblowingly intelligent.

Her perspective on Beowulf was absolutely fascinating, and I‘m a pedantic territorial medievalist. There‘s truly nothing Morrison can‘t do.

Weaponxgirl Do you know if this is under another name in the uk? I keep seeing a new Toni Morrison book on Amazon with the same sub heading but a different title. 6y
ephemeralwaltz @Weaponxgirl mouth full of blood maybe? I saw that too and had the same question! I'm 99% sure it's the same book, just published a few days apart. 6y
Weaponxgirl @ephemeralwaltz yes! I couldn‘t remember the title off the top of my head. I also thought it might be the case since my library suddenly dropped my hold on the source of self regard and wasn‘t getting the book in stock. Made me wonder if there was some weird uk renaming stuff going on. 6y
Emilymdxn @Weaponxgirl I haven‘t seen a physical copy of it anywhere - I‘m in the uk but maybe the audio has a different name somehow?? I can imagine they‘d do something weird like that just to confuse us 😒 6y
Weaponxgirl @Emilymdxn that‘s why I asked you. Since I know you are uk based too. So confusing 6y
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Emilymdxn
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Excited to read this! I‘ve fallen so in love with Toni Morrison recently but I‘ve never read non fiction by her before

jenniferw88 Have you read Song of Solomon yet? It's my favourite of hers (The Bluest Eye is currently second) 6y
Theaelizabet I just bought this one. Love her. 6y
ephemeralwaltz @jenniferw88 Song of Solomon is incredible!! It's the first I read by her and still my favorite. I'm looking forward to reading some of her non-fiction too :) 6y
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TheBookstorePodcast
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Very into essays at the moment. What is your favorite essay collection? -Becca

Christine I love so many essay collections! A semi-recent fave was 6y
41 likes1 comment
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cdreincarnate
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Pickpick

Loved it, of course. Because it‘s a collection of essays, there were some parts that got repeated, but it was totally worth it. I‘ll definitely be looking at American literature in a completely different light, no matter the author‘s race, thanks to this book.

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sophierayton
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Pickpick

Morrison is a very smart, thoughtful woman and writer. However, her writing is so heavily based on the black American experience that I found it hard to get a foothold given that I'm a white British woman. Important perspectives to be sure, but I'm likely not the target audience.

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Notafraidofwords
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Pickpick

A few years ago, I made it all the way to the top of Bear Mountain in upstate NY. The minute I got up there, I felt like a sudden entrapment took hold of me. How could I be in one of the most open of places and feel so constricted. But then I recognized the feeling: pure overwhelming feelings. That is what Toni Morrison‘s nonfiction does to my brain.

CouronneDhiver Best review! 👌🏽 6y
DivineDiana Powerful description! 6y
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cdreincarnate
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I was bummed to think this book probably wouldn‘t be narrated by Morrison, but then I realized it‘s narrated by Bahni Turpin and I‘m all, “Nevermind! Carry on!” 🌟🌟🌟

8little_paws How are you liking it? I was unsure if I wanted to read this in print or audio. 6y
cdreincarnate @8little_paws I‘m only a couple essays in, but so far I‘m really enjoying it. Turpin is such a great narrator and I don‘t think any of Morrison‘s beautiful writing is lost by listening to it on audio. 6y
8little_paws @cdreincarnate good to know! Also, did you go to book club this month? I missed it, I wasn't feeling well that night. 6y
cdreincarnate @8little_paws No. I think it‘s going to be a while before I can stomach the idea of going without my mom. Been easing my way back into social engagements. 6y
8little_paws @cdreincarnate completely understand! 6y
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TheBookStacker
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I‘m leaving Friday for Grand Cayman and I‘m struggling over what books to bring with me.

TrishB I‘m going to Grand Cayman in a few weeks! Enjoy 6y
Cathythoughts The Toni Morrison sounds excellent ♥️ 6y
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Notafraidofwords
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Toni, tearing it all down. Capitalism robs us of everything ...

saresmoore Damn. 🔥 6y
Notafraidofwords @saresmoore I understand nothing. That‘s how I approach Morrison. She‘s a genius with words. 6y
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Notafraidofwords
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Ready to be blessed.

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