Contemporary African American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

During the last two decades, African American writers have emerged as a distinct and dominant force in world literature. This force has been gathering momentum since the 1950s, when James Baldwin published some of his most compelling works and Ralph Ellison stunned the literary establishment with his dazzling Invisible Man (1952). Empowered by the Civil Rights Movement and revitalized by the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, this force became more potent and pervasive. The publication of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye in 1970 was a major event in the literary history of the United States. With a voice as original as America itself, she began to conquer the English language and redefine the international literary landscape. Along with Morrison, scores of African American writers have mapped bold new territories and firmly entrenched themselves in the forefront of contemporary American literature. This reference book is a guide to the lives, works, and achievements of 79 contemporary African American novelists. Through alphabetically arranged entries written by expert contributors, this volume offers lively, concise, and current information about these writers. Each entry begins with a biographical sketch of the author, provides a judicious critical assessment of the author's major works and themes, gives a representative sample of the critical responses the author's novels have elicited, and concludes with a selected bibliography that lists the author's publications as well as useful secondary material. Included are major figures, such as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, and Ralph Ellison. There are also entries for many noteworthy but lesser known figures, such as Tina McElroy Ansa, Bebe Moore Campbell, Randall Kenan, Reginald McKnight, Marita Golden, and Arthur Flowers. Some are popular writers with mass appeal, such as Terri McMillan and Frank Yerby; others, such as Octavia E. Butler, are known for their science fiction. Still others are distinguished poets or playwrights who have also published one or more significant novels. Of the 79 novelists profiled, 41 are women, and roughly a dozen have identified themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Thus the volume demonstrates the enormous diversity of these writers and the breadth of their contribution to world literature.

Reviews

A college-level sourcebook that will please any black studies or literary studies student devoted to in-depth study.-The Bookwatch
An informative introduction to the African American literary tradition.-C&RL News
Libraries supporting African American studies will need to acquire this title; others may want it for the contents of the introductory essay and as a supplementary resource.-Choice
The benefit of a compendium such as this is that a number of authors are covered in one handy volume, and some may be hard to find elsewhere.-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
The essays are readable and provide a good introduction to many authors who are unfamiliar to the general public. High school students, undergraduates, and general readers will find this a useful companion.-American Reference Books Annual
This is a very informative and well-written reference tool, which is comprehensible for the general reader, undergraduate collegian, or serious scholar of contemporary African-American literary tradition.-Multicultural Review
This specialized source makes a strong, useful contribution to the reference literature on contemporary American literature-GaleGroup.com
Valuable for the pieces on several recent and/or overlooked writers who have not yet received the critical attention they deserve (e.g., Melvin Dixon, Marita Golden).-Library Journal
"A college-level sourcebook that will please any black studies or literary studies student devoted to in-depth study."-The Bookwatch
"An informative introduction to the African American literary tradition."-C&RL News
"Libraries supporting African American studies will need to acquire this title; others may want it for the contents of the introductory essay and as a supplementary resource."-Choice
"The benefit of a compendium such as this is that a number of authors are covered in one handy volume, and some may be hard to find elsewhere."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"This is a very informative and well-written reference tool, which is comprehensible for the general reader, undergraduate collegian, or serious scholar of contemporary African-American literary tradition."-Multicultural Review
"This specialized source makes a strong, useful contribution to the reference literature on contemporary American literature"-GaleGroup.com
"Valuable for the pieces on several recent and/or overlooked writers who have not yet received the critical attention they deserve (e.g., Melvin Dixon, Marita Golden)."-Library Journal
"The essays are readable and provide a good introduction to many authors who are unfamiliar to the general public. High school students, undergraduates, and general readers will find this a useful companion."-American Reference Books Annual

Author Bio

EMMANUEL S. NELSON is Professor of English at the State University of New York College at Cortland. He is the author of more than 30 articles on various international literatures in English, and his books include Reworlding: The Literature of the Indian Diaspora (1992), Contemporary Gay American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook (1993), and Writers of the Indian Diaspora: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook (1993), all available from Greenwood Press.