Out of the Woodpile: Black Characters in Crime and Detective Fiction

(Hardback)

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Description

Contending that a "mythology of race" consisting of themes of sex and savagery exists in the United States and is perpetuated in popular culture, Frankie Y.Bailey identifies stereotypical images of blacks in crime and detective fiction and probes the implied values and collective fantasies found there. "Out of the Woodpile" is a socio-historical study of the evolution of black detectives and other African American characters in genre fiction. The volume's three divisions reflect the evolution of the status of African Americans in American society. The results of survey questions carried in "The Third Degree", the newsletter of the Mystery Writers of America, as well as the views of 14 crime writers on the creation of black characters in genre fiction are followed by the "Directory", which includes a sampling of cases featuring black characters, a list of black detectives, relevant works of fiction, film and television.

Reviews

"I was very impressed by Out of the Woodpile. I found it engrossing, illuminating, insightful, impeccably researched, beautifully written and as a white reader more than a little painful. Congratulations and thanks to Frankie Y. Bailey for an important work of both sociohistory and crime-fiction scholarship."-Bill Pronzini Mystery writer and Co-Editor of The Ethnic Detectives
Bailey presents a well-written, sometimes uncomfortable, honest look at the Black character in British and American mystery and detective fiction. Bailey has researched her topic thoroughly and brings insights and perceptions from her background in criminal justice, an aspect that makes this work even more valuable as a reliable source of information. . . . This work is highly recommended.-ARBA 93
"Bailey presents a well-written, sometimes uncomfortable, honest look at the Black character in British and American mystery and detective fiction. Bailey has researched her topic thoroughly and brings insights and perceptions from her background in criminal justice, an aspect that makes this work even more valuable as a reliable source of information. . . . This work is highly recommended."-ARBA 93

Author Bio

FRANKIE Y. BAILEY is Associate Professor in the School of Criminal Justice at the State University of New York, Albany.