The Critical Reception of James Baldwin, 1963-2010

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 *
[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. * 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 *

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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