The Critical Reception of James Baldwin, 1963-2010 by Conseula Francis, Hardcover, 9781571133250 | Buy online at The Nile
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The Critical Reception of James Baldwin, 1963-2010

An Honest Man and a Good Writer

Author: Conseula Francis   Series: Literary Criticism in Perspective

Hardcover

Examines the major divisions in criticism of this major African American writer, paying particular attention to the way each critical period defines Baldwin and his work for its own purposes.

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Summary

Examines the major divisions in criticism of this major African American writer, paying particular attention to the way each critical period defines Baldwin and his work for its own purposes.

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Description

Examines the major divisions in criticism of this major African American writer, paying particular attention to the way each critical period defines Baldwin and his work for its own purposes.James Baldwin is a widely taught and anthologized author. His short story "Sonny's Blues" remains a perennial favorite in literature anthologies, and all of his essay collections and novels are still in print. His first essay collection, Notes of a Native Son, is a seminal work that led a new generation of African American writers from beneath the shadow of Richard Wright. The Fire Next Time is widely held as one of the most profound and accurate articulations of black consciousness during the Civil Rights movement. It is difficult to imagine teaching a survey of African American literature or considering the development of black intellectual thought in the twentiethcentury without mentioning Baldwin.For more than half a century, readers and critics alike have agreed that Baldwin is a major African American writer. What they do not agree on is why. Because of his artistic and intellectual complexity, his work resists easy categorization, and Baldwin scholarship, consequently, spans the critical horizon. Conseula Francis's book examines the major divisions in Baldwin criticism, paying particular attention to theway each critical period defines Baldwin and his work for its own purposes.Conseula Francis is Professor of English and Associate Provost for Curriculum and Institutional Resources at the College of Charleston.

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Critic Reviews

“[This book] analyzes the trajectory of Baldwin's critical reception and rigorously positions the debates revolving his writings in their historical contexts. Due to the complexity of Baldwin's oeuvre . . . Francis's project becomes a microhistory of trends in literary theory and criticism since the 1960s, scrupulously registering the emergence of black, gender, and queer studies. . . . [S]cholars of many academic disciplines will find [Francis's book] useful and engaging.”

As its title reveals, this well-researched and engagingly written study is a biography of Baldwin's critical reception [that] provides a thorough, smartly contextualized overview of the various ways Baldwin's wide-ranging oeuvre has been received, both during his lifetime and after. . . . Her survey of Baldwin criticism and reasons for his popularity are instructive for anyone who teaches or reads Baldwin. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. CHOICE
POLISH JOURNAL OF AMERICAN STUDIES
[N]ot only a superb overview on Baldwin criticism, but also a comprehensive study of the vastness and depth of Baldwin's literary legacy. . . . [I]nspires both the newcomer and the established reader to engage with Baldwin . . . . AMERIKASTUDIEN

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About the Author

Conseula Francis is associate professor of English and director of African American studies at the College of Charleston. Her work has been published in the "Langston Hughes Review."

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Product Details

Publisher
Boydell & Brewer Ltd | Camden House Inc
Published
1st April 2014
Pages
174
ISBN
9781571133250

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