“I was pleasantly surprised with 'Salvage.' I went to Australia and New...” — Jesmyn Ward Quote

I was pleasantly surprised with 'Salvage.' I went to Australia and New Zealand for the novel and met a lot of people who had experienced the earthquakes in Christchurch. They responded very strongly to the book because they had been through these natural disasters and were trying to figure out how to rebuild.

I don't really base any of my characters on specific people that I know, although my characters are informed by the kind of people who live in my community.

Physical books are still my favorite, but I own an e-book reader. They're convenient for travel.

There is power in naming racism for what it is, in shining a bright light on it, brighter than any torch or flashlight. A thing as simple as naming it allows us to root it out of the darkness and hushed conversation where it likes to breed like roaches. It makes us acknowledge it. Confront it.

If you're a single Sheila and you're trying to find an Australian bloke, you duck off down there to Australia. You go to the Red Centre: you'll find there's a few shearers, a few stockmen, and there you will find an Australian bloke.

In 1975 Australia was producing things like Picnic at Hanging Rock, in other words films that I would consider still some of the finest products to come out of Australia. I think that our quality now is less than it was then.

In Australia, even the darkest subject matter has a little pinch of humor. A little sweet to make the sour go down.

In Europe and Australia, there is something called the Tall Poppy Syndrome: People like to cut the tall poppies. They don't want you to succeed, and they cut you down - especially people from your own social class.