Afro-American Literature in the Twentieth Century: The Achievement of Intimacy

Michael Cooke's discussion of 20th century African-American literature comes from the best methods and writing available to comparative literature specialists. He discusses in detail how the historical position of African-Americans affected the development of literature motifs and styles, especially around the portrayal of "self," which, due to the profound racism of America, always involved either veiling the self (for protection and ironic subversion of white dominance) or movement-toward-intimacy (in the face of dangers and distortions). His themes develop from W.E.B. Du Bois' articulation of "the veil" in Souls of Black Folks, and, as Henry Gates says, the development of an authentic black American aesthetic.Cooke's writing is elegant and comprehensive. You have to be a dedicated reader, however. The themes are clearly stated, but his ability to use multiple sources and references requires some substantial background and adept thinking. I believe that sections of this book would be appropriate for an honors-level high school African-American literature course, or the whole text for a college-level US or African-American literature course.I believe that Cooke's insight into the development of intimacy within the black literary spectrum is well worth considering.