african americans in literature

A critical analysis of Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God"; includes biographical notes about Hurston, thematic and structural analysis, a list of characters, excerpts of critical essays, and an index of themes and ideas from the book.

Examines the life and work of African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and how he maneuvered his way through the dangerous political, social, and aesthetic pitfalls of dialect and standard English.

An introduction to the writing of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Rita Dove, featuring readings of seven poetry collections, with theme analyses, a look at continuities in her work, and discussion of Dove's evolution as a poet.

A brief biography of Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison, the first African-American woman to win that award in literature; and chronicles her personal and professional life, career, and achievements.

Presents short stories, novel excerpts, poems, and essays by such early-twentieth-century African-American writers as Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and W. E. B. DuBois, as well as interviews with jazz pianist James P. Johnson and painter Aaron Douglas.

Contains essays that provide thematic and structural analyses of some of African-American author Maya Angelou's best-known poems, features a selection of critical extracts, and includes brief biographical information.

Presents alphabetized biographical profiles of 150 African-American writers, describing their works and their significance in literary history, and provides a further reading list for each entry, a bibliography, and three reference lists.

Presents a series of essays that critically analyze the works of twentieth-century American poet, Robert Hayden and includes an introduction by Harold Bloom.

A critical study of the work of award-winning African-American playwright August Wilson, examining the thematic structure of his plays, their placement within the context of American drama, and the uniquely African-American experiences and traditions Wilson dramatizes.

Provides analyses of seven novels by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, written between 1970 and 1998; and includes biographical information about the author, a bibliography of her writings, and a list of selected reviews and criticism.