African American Literature

[tammywammy]

I'm wading into your group to ask for recommendations of readings of African American literature. I recognize most of the names of posters in here and think you'd have some excellent suggestions for me.

A bit of background. I was recently in a class called "Women in American Culture." I won't bore you with all the details, but there was a video and just a bit of discussion about female African American writers. I have read Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" and a few Toni Morrison books in the past, but honestly I will admit my ignorance for other books. I recently purchased (it should be here in a day or so) "The Color Purple", but I was wondering if anyone here had any good suggestions on where to go next.

I hope you don't mind my intruding on your forum for this. BTW, I have really enjoyed the history that doesn't make it into the history book threads posted here.

Thank you.

[Number23]

1. Anything by Toni Morrison is a good start.

Her books are deep, almost obtuse. Her words may be as thick as tar but they are LIGHT. And joy. Her writings are amazing. When I read "Beloved" for the first time, I had to keep putting the book down because her words overwhelmed me so. If you want to have your soul crushed, try "The Bluest Eye." I read that book and was destroyed for about 3 weeks afterwards. It is powerful.

Pearl Cleage is also a good choice. I'm sitting here right now looking at "I wish I had a Red Dress." She is not nearly as soul-crushing/uplifting as Toni but I really like her. And for good old fashioned fluff, you can't beat Terri McMillan of "Waiting to Exhale" fame.

E. Lynn Harris has written some excellent books on black (male) gay dating and survival. His writing was a bit pedestrian for me, but he was very successful. If I'm not mistaken, he died recently too.

[tammywammy]

5. I cannot remember the Morrison books I've read before

I need to double check my bookcase, but I can assure you it wasn't "Beloved." I will put that on my list along with Pearl Cleage. You can never have too many "I need to read" authors on your list.

I have seen the movie "Watiting to Exhale."

[bliss_eternal]

2. Welcome...

...to the forum, tammywammy!

Just a few authors/titles that come to mind:

Gloria Naylor, "The Women of Brewster Place": I love this book, and I actually enjoyed the made for tv movie of it, as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Brewster-Penguin-Contemporary-American-Fiction/dp/014006690X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289902064&sr=1-1


Maya Angelou, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings": starts in maya angelou's childhood in the south, to teen years. Details her experience as a survivor of childhood molestation and the many years she stopped speaking (after the traumatic incident).

http://www.amazon.com/Know-Why-Caged-Bird-Sings/dp/0345514408/ref=pd_sim_b_4


Maya Angelou, "Gather Together in My Name": picks up where "caged bird" leaves off. Details Angelou's life as a teen mother, her various jobs (worked as a cook, dancer, actor, madam, etc.), relationships w/men, as well as what's going on in society at the time. Engaging, interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read. I honestly could NOT put it down!

http://www.amazon.com/Gather-Together-Name-Maya-Angelou/dp/0812980301/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289901908&sr=8-1


Alice Walker, "The Color Purple": (I see you've ordered this and will read it soon. I hope you enjoy it!) It can be a challenging read, as it is written in dialect. But once you get used to it, it's a great book!! I actually prefer the book to the film (but I seem to be in the minority on that).


Hope this helps--enjoy! :hi:

[tammywammy]

4. Ahh, yes

I have read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Many moons ago, and I cannot believe I left Angelou off the list of writers I knew about.

I'm sad to admit, I've never seen the movie "The Color Purple" either. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

edited to add: Another author discussed a bit in class was Bell Hooks. Have you read her book "Bone Black"?

[bliss_eternal]

13. bell hooks...

...friggin' rocks! It's so funny you mentioned her, as I left her off the list (sorry about that :blush:). I didn't want to scare you...:spray: Not everyone is open to feminist works, and ms. hooks is very much a womanist. At the same time, I think the label is a bit limiting--she's a humanist, if that makes sense. Anyway, I just. Love. Her! :loveya:

I've read excerpts from "Bone Black," as assigned reading during a literature course, and that was quite a few years ago. I'm glad you reminded me of it, so I can revisit and read the entire work.

This was what I was going to recommend, "Aint I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism" :hi:

http://www.amazon.com/Aint-Woman-Black-Women-Feminism/dp/089608129X/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1289959997&sr=8-11

I love that it shares the title of Sojourner Truth's speech, "Aint I a Woman."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain%27t_I_a_Woman%3F

[tammywammy]

17. I saw she wrote a book 'Aint I a Woman'

And yes I also loved the title and knew where it was from. :)

Feminist writings don't scare me off, I proudly tell people I'm a feminist. I'll definitely add Bell Hooks to my need to read list. I know I won't forget her name.

[Kind of Blue]

10. Hey, Bliss! Here's an aside on Gloria Naylor.

:hi: Back in the '80s, she was an artist in residence - something like that - at my alma mater. Well, an English major friend of mine was taking her classes. He was just entranced with her and I don't know how it happened, but she wound up at my apartment for dinner one night.

Fantastic woman, so down to earth, so charming and could see through so many things. She didn't even want to talk about "Brewster Place," but about life, living in DC, just all kinds of stuff about the surroundings, the environment, just an incredibly inquisitive mind. I remember while my friend was in the bathroom, she started asking me some questions in a hushed tone. I answered and was blown away by her assessment on just one meeting. Thank goodness for her insight because she saved me years of trouble but I should have heeded her warning. Every time I see her name or think of her, I can just hear her saying, "I told you so." :rofl:

[bliss_eternal]

14. Kind of Blue...

...I'm so jealous--that is the coolest story EVER! ...and to think, THE Gloria Naylor saved you years of trouble--wow. What a thing to be able to say.

(sigh)
...I'm swooning.

[Kind of Blue]

25. Yeah, great gal. I wish I wasn't so young, stupid

and so self-absorbed back then. She's one of the people who are natural mentors, if one recognizes it.

[Brewman_Jax]

3. I'll add to the list

There are contemporary authors, Alex Haley, author of Roots and The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and playwright August Wilson. For more serious topics, there's Frantz Fanon, Cornell West, and Michael Eric Dyson. There are the past authors, W.E.B. DuBois, Phyllis Wheatley, and Olaudah Equiano. The list is huge, you'll have plenty to keep you entertained.

[tammywammy]

6. Thanks for the suggestions

I do have an interesting tidbit about DuBois and Zora Neale Hurston (forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know). Hurston wrote to DuBois after she had moved back to Eatonville, suggesting they start a cemetery for poor African American artists. He wrote back dismissing the idea. She had the foresight to see that she would die penniless.

Would you recommend The Autobiography of Malcom X? While I know a bit about the man, I'm sure most of what I do know or was taught was quite manipulated. I did see the movie Malcom X many years ago, but I'm always skeptical of movie "biographies" since they always seem to be inaccurate.

[Brewman_Jax]

8. I recommend "The Autobiography of Malcolm X"

which was an actual collaboration between Alex Haley and Malcolm X over a 2-year period before Malcolm's death. It's not ghost-written, like too many "autobiographies". It's been a best-seller from the start. In 1998, Time Magazine called The Autobiography of Malcolm X one of the 10 most influential non-fiction books of the 20th Century. The Spike Lee movie Malcolm X, starring Denzel Washington, was based on a screenplay written by James Baldwin and Arnold Perl. Incidentally, the movie received 2 Oscar nominations, including Denzel's first Best Actor nomination.

[tammywammy]

9. Thanks, I'll add that to my future reads list then most definitely

[bliss_eternal]

15. Phyllis Wheatley...

...thanks Brewman! Another female author I failed to mention. :blush:

Just curious, since you brought it up, do you feel that the televised version of Roots did Haley's work justice? I was kind of disappointed by the televised version of Queen. Pleased it got the exposure a tv movie can provide. Just bummed out with the end product, not sure if Haley actually got to write the screenplay or not.

[Brewman_Jax]

29. I haven't read the book

so I can't answer your question. I was more disappointed to learn that Roots was fiction being passed off as fact.

[Kind of Blue]

7. All of the above are such excellent suggestions!

This may not fit into the genre but if you are at all into science fiction/fantasy, Octavia Butler, who passed a few years ago, is top notch.

Here's a Wiki entry on her: Octavia Estelle Butler (June 22, 1947 – February 24, 2006) was an American science fiction writer, one of the best-known among the few African-American women in the field. She won both Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1995, she became the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant.

Nice entries on some of her books in the wiki biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_E._Butler I think "Kindred" is the first book of hers that I read back in the early '80s, and had no idea that she was an African-American until a few years later. I loved the book and would start there. Her death really struck me hard, Truly one of a kind author who made it okay to be black and love science fiction/fantasy.

[Number23]

11. Oooo, really good choice. I LOVE science fiction

I never heard of this author! I'm gonna go see if I can get my hands on "Kindred." Excellent suggestion.

[Kind of Blue]

12. Oh, Wow. I'm sure you'd love it.

:hi: I just found it at Google Books - it looks like the whole book - http://books.google.com/books?id=89-2ZXYsuAQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=octavia+butler+kindred&source=bl&ots=tUDC77bCpP&sig=1ZO4w0WVJQy_Ge359iArHMmL0Hg&hl=en&ei=KyfjTM3WMo-8sQOL78xm&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false


I've also joined this group http://www.blacksciencefictionsociety.com/ but mostly have hung out at Purple Zoe's Black Faery Group. http://www.blacksciencefictionsociety.com/profile/PurpleZoe?xg_source=activity But tons of authors and emerging writers. :hug:

[Number23]

20. Are you kidding me??

Of course I'd love it!!! :wow: :rofl::wow:
:pals:

[Kind of Blue]

22. I am Laughing like a crazy woman. I did not miss those coincidences!

:rofl: Really, I didn't want to mention the main coincidence on a public forum :hug: That's why I HAD to post the graphic to be believed. This is Your Book!:fistbump:

[Number23]

24. DON'T SPILL MY SECRET IDENTITY!!!

Or I'll have to come and get ya! Remember, I know YOUR secrets too!! :loveya:

Girl, that little blurb is WILD. If that book ain't MY book then I don't know what is!! :rofl: :rofl: :pals:

[Kind of Blue]

26. Scared of You! LOLOLOLOL...

:scared: Yes, you do know my secrets and if you're not careful, I'm gonna tell you some more :rofl:
Really, thanks for reaching out and listening the other day and not running away. It makes being on crazy DU worthwhile :loveya:

[Number23]

27. You know I've got your back.

And I'd love to see you at our undisclosed location sometimes too. You are loved and missed.

[Kind of Blue]

28. You are a blessing Number 23

:cry: :pals: Thank you :hug:

[bliss_eternal]

16. Thanks...

...Kind of Blue. I'm going to check out Butler's work on amazon.com. I rarely have time for pleasure reading. but like to stock up for the occasions when I have time. This sounds pretty cool. :thumbsup:

[Kind of Blue]

23. Aww, you're welcome. I'm really surprised

that no one has made it a movie - but whatever. All the reviews are so right but I think "Essence" is the most accurate "Truly terrifying!" :rofl: Butler said she wanted the reader to feel the book and be Dana.
Butler was not prolific so I think I'm going to stock up on all of her works through Amazon, as well :)

[Kind of Blue]

31. Hey, Bliss. I forgot that I joined

:hi: Audio.com a while ago and have been racking up credits. Downloaded "Kindred" and "Wild Seed" Friday night. Felt like an old lady for listening but that soon faded away. It's really nice having the story narrated because I can putz around the house doing what I have to do and drive while listening. The narrator of "Kindred" is actress Kim Staunton and she's excellent. Might be a good way to go when there's no time for pleasure reading. Now I feel like a child wanting a good story before bedtime :rofl:

[bliss_eternal]

32. ...thanks, Kind of Blue!

What a fun suggestion! Like you said, it's like being read a bedtime story--something I sincerely loved as a kid! Heck, as an adult...dh and I aren't beyond reading to one another, from time to time (especially when one of us is reading the book the other wants to read, at the same time). :blush::)

:hi::pals:

[tammywammy]

18. Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions!

I'm glad I decided to ask in this forum for suggestions. This is really a jewel of a forum. I've learned quite a bit reading through your threads.

After we watched the video in my class, as I thought about things I was a bit sad to realize I hadn't read much African American literature. Thanks so much for the suggestions for some great books I've missed.

[fishwax]

19. I can give you a kind of an academic answer

(because that's what I am -- a "kind of an academic" :))

I don't know if that's necessarily the perspective you're looking for or that's most appropriate here, so I've been slightly hesitant in making this post, but I wanted to at least throw a few names out and hopefully hear what the great posters of AAIG think about some of these authors and works. So with that in mind I'll try to focus on names that I haven't seen mentioned above ...

James Weldon Johnson--he was a poet, intellectual, and activist, and also published (anonymously, at first) at least one famous novel (and one much-studied in academic circles in the last few decades)--The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.

Nella Larsen--not as famous as Zora Neale Hurston, but she published two important novels (Quicksand and Passing) and a few short stories during the Harlem Renaissance. Then she had a series of personal struggles--allegations of plagiarism, a painful divorce, and some financial problems--and just stopped writing :(.

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is generally considered among the best novels of the 20th century. Ellison never stopped writing, but unfortunately he never published another novel--his 2300-page manuscript for his never-quite-completed second novel has been published in various forms over the last 10-15 years (Juneteenth, which is about 350-pages, and Three Days Before the Shooting, which is close to 900). Some of the material is available in the form of short stories.

Toni Cade Bambara--several great short stories, as well as two novels (one of which was published posthumously; neither of which, I confess, I've read)

Poets -- Gwendolyn Brooks and Claude McKay (obviously there are hundreds more, but those are the two that come first to mind for me). Both also wrote fiction (Claude McKay's novel Home to Harlem was particularly controversial in the early stages of the Harlem Renaissance).

Playwrights: Brewman_Jax already mentioned August Wilson, but I'll heartily second that recommendation and add Lorraine Hansberry (Raisin in the Sun) and Charles Fuller (A Soldier's Play, which was turned into the movie A Soldier's Story).

[Number23]

21. Beautiful suggestions

As for poets, can't leave the divine Ms. Angelou out. :)

Definitely second your Ellison suggestion.

[tammywammy]

30. Thank you for your suggestions

An academic answer here is perfectly fine. I overall enjoy reading a variety of types of books so anything suggested is greatly appreciated.

I bookmarked this thread, I think it'll be providing my reading material for a long time to come.