shanaedidgood's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent collection. Beautifully written short stories that capture the trials of being Black and male in America. I love this book!
bmatzke's review against another edition
4.0
I read this to compare the novel and short story versions of "The Man Who Lived Underground". I know this collection is considered lesser Wright, but I found it to be tremendously captivating. The novel version of "The Man Who Lived Underground" is better, but the story version is still very interesting. It, "Man God Ain't Like That" and "The Man Who Killed a Shadow" all feel like fragments of what should have been longer works. "Man of All Work" is a fantastic piece of dark comedy--at turns sensitive, hilarious, and terrifying. "The Man Who Was Almost a Man", "The Man Who Saw The Flood", and "Big Black Good Man" all feel like parables, and the last in particular feels like it could be a Nathaniel Hawthorne story. And "The Man Who Went to Chicago" is an excellent short memoir. While it's a bit ragged as a collection, it still feels like a very clear articulation of the themes of race and masculinity that run through all of Wright's works.
mikmatshes's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
tome15's review against another edition
5.0
One forgets between readings how subtle a writer Wright was. He takes subjects about which we usually preach obvious sermons and makes stories with nuanced characters who are responsible for their own lives, even though the forces of racism, poverty, and Freudian drives batter them like strong winds.
portiagabrielle's review against another edition
3.0
Read for POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt #4: A book involving a heist.... kinda. Also, not a book. A short story. Look, I really didn't want to do this prompt, okay?
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