27 June 2016
It went in, I think twelve editions. And I sent it-I don't know if I sent it, or if it was sent-to a man, a black man in prison. And he wrote a letter and asked for two more copies of the book. He said, "I have one copy, which I want to hold against my heart. But I need another copy to throw up against the wall. And I need another copy after that to give to a friend."
All those emotions were in that book. The horrible stuff that happened, the lynchings, I mean all of it-and the letters people wrote. Anyway, I don't need to tell you all of the details, but I did want to suggest to you that part of the business of editing is telling people to shut up.
