The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature [Five Volumes] [5 volumes] [Hardcover]

J. David Macey (Editor), Hans Ostrom (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313329729 | ISBN-13: 978-0313329722 | Publication Date: September 30, 2005

With more than 1,000 entries by more than 200 expert contributors, this encyclopedia is the most comprehensive reference available on African American literature. While most of the entries are on individual authors, the encyclopedia gives special attention to the historical, cultural, and political contexts that have shaped African American writing. Included are entries on critical movements and terms, critics and scholars, historical and social issues, cultural and historical figures, literary forms and genres, literary schools and organizations, and many other topics. The entries cite numerous print and electronic resources, and the encyclopedia concludes with a selected, general bibliography.

Designed to meet the needs of high school students, undergraduates, and general readers, this encyclopedia is the most comprehensive reference available on African American literature from its origins to the present. Other works include many brief entries, or offer extended biographical sketches of a limited selection of writers. This encyclopedia surpasses existing references by offering full and current coverage of a vast range of authors and topics. While most of the entries are on individual authors, the encyclopedia gathers together information about the genres and geographical and cultural environments in which these writers have worked, and the social, political, and aesthetic movements in which they have participated. Thus the encyclopedia gives special attention to the historical and cultural forces that have shaped African American writing.

In addition to drawing upon the learning of Hans Ostrom, J. David Macey, Jr., and more than 200 expert contributors, the encyclopedia benefits from an editorial board of such distinguished scholars as: Houston A. Baker, Jr., Emily Bernard, Michele Elam, Dolan Hubbard, and Sheila Smith McKoy.

Because of its broad scope, substantial entries, current coverage, and extensive attention to historical, political, and social contexts, this encyclopedia will be the major resource for high school students and teachers interested in the full range of the African American experience. Academic and public libraries will also treasure this work as an incomparable guide to our nation's African American heritage.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–This comprehensive set covers the people, events, and themes relevant to the African-American experience and the literature that it inspired. More than 1000 signed entries of varying length are organized alphabetically and include biographical information as well as critical discussions of the works. Other articles describe major themes, historical events, places, cultural figures, and literary genres that continue to impact the African-American experience. Coverage ranges from the Colonial period through the present. Resources for further information appear at the end of each article and include both print resources and Internet sites. Alphabetical and thematic lists of entries (including important dates) appear in each volume and there is a comprehensive index in the final volume. Although there are slight variations in the writing styles from article to article, the text is clearly written and engaging throughout. Sadly, only slightly more than 100 black-and-white illustrations, mostly portraits, are included. However, this is a completely accessible work. While it is by no means exhaustive (an impossible goal, the editors acknowledge), it is an important resource that should be considered by most libraries.–Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Of the 1,029 alphabetically arranged entries in these volumes, roughly 820 cover African American writers of fiction and nonfiction, from the eighteenth century to the present. The remaining entries extend coverage beyond authors, examining topics closely related to African American literature, such as critics, journals, literary genres, and literary movements, as well as subjects within the broader landscape of African American culture, such as Cooking, Detroit, Hip-Hop, Nation of Islam, Slang, and Voodoo/Vodoun. Specific works of literature do not have separate entries. Instead, articles on writers not only provide brief biographical data but also note key literary works.

Articles range in length from half a page on Bill Gunn to seven pages for Lyric poetry. Bold type within articles indicates related main entries. All articles include fairly lengthy references, which can comprise both primary and secondary resources. Internet sources are sometimes included. Each article ends with the name of one of 340 contributors, mostly representatives from academia.

Besides entries, the encyclopedia includes 117 black-and-white illustrations, a 10-page bibliography, and a 10-page chronology, beginning in 1507 and ending in 2004. Each volume contains both alphabetical and topical lists of entries, and volume 5 provides a detailed index

Greenwood's newest entry into the field of African American literature augments resources focused on criticism or specific literary works such as Masterplots II: African American Literature Series (Salem, 1994). Besides being more current, it covers more writers than the 530 in African American Writers: A Dictionary (ABC-CLIO, 2000) and the 400 in the Oxford Companion to African American Literature (1997). A search of the first 25 authors listed in the Greenwood work found 15 with biographical entries within Gale's online Literature Resource Center. Scribner's African American Writers (2001) contains longer entries but covers fewer authors. Be aware: Greenwood plans to include The Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature in the upcoming online database African American Experience. Recommended for high-school, academic, and public libraries. Stephen Fadel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 2196 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood (September 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313329729
• ISBN-13: 978-0313329722
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.7 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,347,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Recent books include The Coast Starlight (poems) a novel, Honoring Juanita, and Nine By Three, a book of short stories written with Beverly Conner and Ann Putnam. ...Grew up in the High Sierra of California in a town of 200. Attended Sierra College and then earned degrees in English from the University of California, Davis, including a Ph.D. in English. Taught at Davis and at Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. Have been teaching at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, for over two decades. Taught at Uppsala University, Sweden, in 1994 as a Senior Fulbright Fellow. Am a member of the PEN/American Center, the National Book Critics Circle, and other organizations. Author of poetry, fiction, criticism, references works, textbooks. Editor of reference works and books of essays. Comfortable in cities and the wilderness. Extremely eclectic tastes in reading and cinema. Like to write in a wide variety of genres. I teach creative writing, literature, and rhetoric. Teach courses on the Harlem Renaissance and Detective Fiction, among others. I have a blog called Poet's Musings and a Youtube channel called langstonify.