“I did not come from an academic background. My father was a smart man,...” — Leonard Susskind Quote

“I did not come from an academic background. My father was a smart man, but he had a fifth-grade education. He and all his friends were plumbers. They were all born around 1905 in great poverty in New York City and had to go to work when they were 12 or 13 years old.”

“Science blogs bore me. When everyone is an expert, no one is an expert.”

“I have always enjoyed explaining physics. In fact it's more than just enjoyment: I need to explain physics.”

“I'm not an academic, but I've always loved poetry since I've been small.”

“The Chinese government has been clear in its goal and purpose for creating and expanding Confucius Institutes throughout the country, namely to distort academic discourse on China, threaten and silence defenders of human rights, and create a climate intolerant of dissent or open discussion.”

“Years and years ago, I said I did not want to write academic books. I want to write books that are in the language of the common person so that Joe, who didn't even go to college, can sit down and read my book and get it and apply it to his life.”