Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison is the first African-American to win a Nobel prize

She grew up in the American Midwest in a family that possessed an intense love of and appreciation for black culture.

Storytelling, songs and folktales were a deeply formative part of her childhood.

The central themes of Morrison's novels is the black American experience, her characters struggle to find themselves and cultural identity.

Morrison's family were 'intimate with the supernatural'

Storytelling was a huge part of her family when she was growing up - both the children and parents would share stories with one another.

She uses her childhood memories to help her start writing - her real life world is often included in her novels.