The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Volume 1

Love the book! Thought the cover would be in color. The cover and pages looks like its been wet. For the price I paid I was better off purchasing it brand new.

I noticed that someone asked for a review of this piece, here is something I did when the first edition came out in 1997, for the newspaper I worked for at the time, the Durham Herald-Sun. Published 01/05/97 African-American lit anthology's `heavy' - UNC professor helped as canon was decided for long-awaited book Byline: ERNIE SUGGS The Herald-Sun When discussing African-American literature, the name Victor Sejour doesn't stand out as readily as the likes of Harriet Jacobs, Claude McKay, Langston Hughes and James Baldwin. But the work of the expatriate who left New Orleans for Paris at the age of 20 has just rewritten history. His short story, ``Le Mulatre,'' (The Mulatto) published in France in 1837, now is considered the oldest known work of fiction by an African-American writer. The piece was discovered in 1992 by UNC English Professor William L. Andrews for special inclusion in the new ``Norton Anthology of African American Literature.'' Sejour's work is among dozens by African-American writers, poets, preachers, essayists, singers and even rappers included in the massive tome, which was published Dec. 16. ``Heavy,'' said Duke University's director of Afro-American studies, Karla Holloway, in describing the new anthology. ``This is exactly what we have been waiting for,'' Holloway said. ``It is thorough, the coverage is impressive and it has weight, literally and physically.'' At 2,655 pages, the single, 21/2-pound volume is indeed heavy. But the weight of what is on the pages may be enough to change the way African-American literature is perceived for generations. Henry Louis Gates Jr., W.E.B DuBois professor of humanities and chairman of the Afro-American studies department at Harvard University, was one of two general editors for the book. Gates, who also served briefly as head of Duke University's Afro-American studies program, called the anthology a ``canon'' and said that there never would be another excuse for not being able to find African-American literature. Literary scholars are hailing the text as a breakthrough and calling it revolutionary. College professors are lining up to get it and preparing syllabi to teach it. ``It is the most important anthology of African-American literature that has been published in the 20th century,'' said Andrews, E. Maynard Adams professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ``Not that there haven't been magnificent anthologies -- and this isn't the first one -- but this is the most important because it is the anthology for the second black literary renaissance of the 20th century.'' The anthology is the culmination of 10 years of research by a team of editors and scholars. The team's research dates back to a 1746 poem by Lucy Terry called ``Bar Fights.'' ``In North Carolina, it has always been something that people have asked me about. `When is it coming out? When is it coming out?' '' said Steven Hoge, field editor for New York

The thin paper and large number of pages are a trademark of the Norton Anthologies. It does not by any stretch of the imagination make them unreadable. I am working my way through the Norton Anthology of British Literature Volume I and it has about 2600 pages on this "thin" paper. I am finding the reading enjoyable. If you want to critize do on the basis of content of the book, not what it is made of.

Taking upon yourself the task of creating an anthology that represents an entire literary and cultural tradition strikes me as a daunting task. The editors who helm such a project are almost playing god by deciding which authors and which works get into the "canon." Fortunately, the editors of "The Norton Anthology of African American Literature" have approached their duties with an expansive vision and an evident seriousness of purpose. The result is a collection which, although not without flaws, is a comprehensive and powerful sampling of a great tradition.The editors have chosen a rich selection of works from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. A good balance of male and female authors is struck. I was particularly impressed by the great range of genres. Poetry, essays, autobiography, short fiction, drama, sermons, song lyrics, and even a few complete short novels are included. Science fiction writers (Octavia Butler, Samuel R. Delany), writers also included in the canon of lesbian and gay literature (Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Essex Hemphill) and writers whose works have an experimental edge (Adrienne Kennedy, etc.) are included.The extensive author biographies include fascinating information about each writer's life and body of work. Bibliographies and a chronology at the end of the collection are also useful.Of course, no anthology this ambitious is going to please everybody. As much as I liked the book, I still missed the presence of certain favorite authors (Pat Parker, SDiane Bogus, and others). And of the authors represented, there were those for whom I might have chosen some different or additional selections (Audre Lorde's essay "Man Child" would have made an excellent complement to the work already represented). And what about Afro-Latino/a writers like Jesus Colon? With the exception of Puerto Rican-born Arthur Schomburg, they appear to be almost entirely absent.I am sure that others with a love for and expertise in African American literature will cite other authors whom they would have liked to have seen included. And perhaps others will find the collection as it is simply too big (more than 2600 pages!) and overwhelming. But all things considered, this anthology is a truly impressive achievement. It is an outstanding resource for teachers, students, and general readers.

This book is a part of my library and a great resource tool. For any writer, researcher, black historian, or literature lover of any kind, this book is a must have. The criticism from the other reviewers is amazing. Must everything thing be analyzed? This book is a reference tool, an anthology of our black writers from the past to the present. If some are threatened by that, then that is their problem. What one may think of a writer's literature his his or her own personal opinion. I, personally would recommend this book to any college student and any college professor teaching literature. This is a keepsake!

Excellent! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in African American traditions, history, literature. The CD will blow you away.