The Black Body (Paperback)

~ Meri Nana-Ama Danquah (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

“Meri Danquah has taken the race debate to another level, deeper and more provocative than we've gone before.”—Danzy Senna, author of Where Did You Sleep Last Night? and Caucasia

“This singularly brave book recounts with poignancy, wit and fierce passion the ways that Americans, black and white, have come to understand the 'black body.'...An utterly compelling collection.”—Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon

“A bold, cutting-edge and ultimately uplifting anthology destined to become a classic in African-American literature. There is a hunger for redemption in these ethereal essays that is triumphant.”—Douglas Brinkley, author of The Wilderness Warrior and Rosa Parks

What does it mean to have, or to love, a black body? Taking on the challenge of interpreting the black body’s dramatic role in American culture are thirty black, white, and biracial contributors—award-winning actors, artists, writers, and comedians—including voices as varied as President Obama’s inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander, actor and best-selling author Hill Harper, political strategist Kimball Stroud, television producer Joel Lipman, former Saturday Night Live writer Anne Beatts, and singer-songwriter Jason Luckett.

Ranging from deeply serious to playful, sometimes hilarious, musings, these essays explore myriad issues with wisdom and a deep sense of history. Meri Nana-Ama Danquah’s unprecedented collection illuminates the diversity of identities and individual experiences that define the black body in our culture.

With contributions by: Elizabeth Alexander, Stephanie Covington Armstrong, Tonita Austin-Hilley, Anne Beatts, Annie Burrows, Kenneth Carroll, Nzingha Clarke, Werner Disse, Lynell George, David Goldsmith, Hill Harper, Peter J. Harris, Susan Hayden, Carolyn L. Holbrook, Kenji Jasper, Brent Jennings, A. Van Jordan, Steven Kotler, Joel Lipman, Philip Littell, Jason Luckett, Susan E. Matus, Tajamika Paxton, S. Pearl Sharp, Kimball Stroud, Greg Tate, Kenny White, Gail Wronsky, and Yolanda Young.

Meri Nana-Ama Danquah's previous work includes the groundbreaking memoir Willow Weep for Me: A Black Woman's Journey Through Depression and two critically acclaimed anthologies, Becoming American and Shaking the Tree. She earned an MFA in creative writing and literature from Bennington College. She divides her time between Los Angeles, California, and Accra, Ghana.

About the Author

Meri Nana-Ama Danquah is author of the groundbreaking memoir Willow Weep for Me: A Black Woman's Journey Through Depression and editor of two critically acclaimed anthologies, Becoming American and Shaking the Tree. She is a native of Ghana, a single mother, and Los Angeles resident.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Seven Stories Press (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583228896
• ISBN-13: 978-1583228890
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #290,544 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful Book, November 11, 2009

By	Sam White "Sam" (Springfield MO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great collection of personal stories that explored the meaning of black bodies in contemporary society. It is a great read for anyone (Black, white, Asian American, Latino/a, Native American, etc.) who wants to learn how race continues to shape contemporary life. It is eye-opening and frustrating but mandatory reading for anyone who thinks the U.S. is post-race.

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant must, January 28, 2010

By	Eva Maria Jaime Rius "EM Jaime" (Barcelona (Spain)) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I would definitively recommend it. It's a great reading and a good inspiration that sparks reflecting further on the real, incremental and underused value of diversity in this "global village" that Earth has turned on for good."How can we have meaningful discussions about race when our descriptions of race defy common sense?" in words of Werner Disse, one of the many contributors to this book. I particularly fancied Susan Matus' relation of a "very-white" looking woman living in Harlem and I was very touched for her heart felt account of her personal discovery journey through the relationship she established with one particular individual in her neighborhood, that allowed her to overcome her initial fear and transmute it into some new inner light to see the world through. Wouldn't have minded having read more about her experience as a whole, in the ensemble. Same as with Matus and Disse's personal relations, all the different larger than life contributions to Danquah's collection are absolutely worthy and make it very easy to put ourselves in the shoes of the different individuals and share their memoirs, and I find myself enriched after the reading. Again, I highly recommend THE BLACK BODY.