Discover the inspiring strength of today's black women writers in a telling selection of interviews and excerpted works from 16 of the best-known and most promising talents. A collection that speaks powerfully to the shared ideas and conflicts facing all women of color.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Unlike other recent collections of work by African American women, Carroll sets her anthology apart by putting excerpts by June Jordan, Gloria Naylor, Lorene Cary and others into context with short biographies and interviews that asks why they write, what they write, who they write for and who were their major influences. Unfortunately, the questions tend to elicit very similar answers from each author save Rita Dove, who discusses her feelings about being Poet Laureate. Most others say they have loved writing and reading since they were very young, they tend to write autobiographically-even when writing fiction-and most were influenced by the likes of Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison. More interesting are the intimate discussion of the excerpt included: Nikki Giovanni explains how early on she wanted to write for people who didn't have a voice, which lends some insight into her poem about the strength and continuity of African women, "Ego Tripping" from The Women and the Men. J. California Cooper describes her decision to portray the destructiveness of drugs using a female character in "Vanity" from The Matter Is Life. "It wasn't so much hard for me to write as it was hard for me to read. Consequently, I haven't read it but once."
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
YA?The 15 African American women writers interviewed here proclaim their artistic sisterhood, a force that is as disparate as their approaches to their work, excerpts of which accompany the interviews. Representing both established and ascending voices, this volume resounds with "the ties that bind." Newcomers Davida Adedjouma, Tina McElroy Ansa, and Gloria-Wade Gayles salute their famous sisters for paving the way and providing them with courage?Toni Morrison, Zora Neal Hurston, and Rita Dove. Reflecting on their craft, several writers attribute their ideas to the rich oral tradition of the black women in their childhoods, storytellers on the front porches who spun the threads of magic from everyday lives. A rich resource of ideas that will be of particular interest to serious YA female writers.?Margaret Nolan, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
And Women Carried On The Memory of Our Past Lives,
By
This review is from: I Know What The Red Clay Looks Like: The Voice and Vision of Black American Women Writers (Qty & CN$ are paper) (Hardcover)
For as long as I might live, I will continue to tout my jealousy of women writers. Or perhaps it is a thing that lives only so strong in this particular generation for women writers. I use "women writers" in this sense to mean specifically black women writers. There is such a strong, tender, and vital culture of sisterhood that lives amongst them as evidenced by how well versed each of them is in the others' body of work. As I mentioned in an earlier update, if this text is any indication, Toni Morrison is arguably the greatest writer the latter half of the 20th century and the English language ever produced as she received a ringing and resounding endorsement from most every writer in the tome, well known and lesser known names alike.
I was never a fan of fiction as a child or young adult, but in reading not only the selections for this text, but the back story of the authors covered has led me towards the clawing notion that black women hold stories better than any other single grouping of writers that one can consider. That is a bold statement and I am likely to retract soon after this review is written especially as I consider the "immigrant" grouping and the wonderful tales woven of that experience, but for a moment I'll let it stand. Of the qualities that was oft cited of Toni Morrison was included of course the penchant for magical realism, the astonishing magnificent manner in which she is aware of and wields the English language, and the truth she is able to extract in how she studies every aspect of her stories in the process of drawing them forth, but I think I am digressing from the point. The brilliance of this text is how well the editor, Rebecca Carroll, was able to capture and convey the truth of these authors. The reason that either they came to writing or writing came to them. The manner in which they communicate with their characters for these are not simply paper bound one dimensional figures, but whole and complete and soul imbued beings with a way about this world and a reason to be acknowledged. The creative means is strong here. The tug and the tussle for attention as if if these characters are children reaching forth to know their mother. Yes. I know what the red clay looks like and I doubt I shall ever be able to forget it again. Word to Gammy Kathy. Love you Mama and Mama.
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