stacey_franklin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
proffy's review against another edition
5.0
Black Ink: Literary Legends on the Peril, Power, and Pleasure of Reading and Writing is one of the best anthologies I have read in a long, long time. Not only is it well-written, interesting, and important, it’s also extremely relevant to my field of study, my profession, and my passions.
A collection of 25 essays written between the early 1800s and the early 2000s, this anthology of Black writers’ perspectives on reading and writing is a lament for the struggles of those excluded from the literary world and a celebration of the power of that world.
The early essays move readers through the literary journeys of some of the most influential Black authors at the turn of the 20th century. Kept from reading and writing by practice and law, Blacks often learned in secret, protesting their restrictions and then using their newfound power to tell the world the truth about slavery and racism. This section on the Peril of Reading reveals the revolutionary power of words to communicate truth and effect change by excerpting works from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, Up From Slavery, The Souls of Black Folk, and Twelve Years a Slave. Writing is activism.
The middle section, on the Power of Reading, contains 13 essays from writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., and Toni Morrison, to name a few. This is a much broader cross-section of authors and topics than part 1 and attempting to effectively paraphrase them in their entirety is just not possible, nor would it communicate the breadth of force these essays possess.
The third section focuses on the Pleasure of Reading and Writing, featuring authors such as Junot Diaz, Roxane Gay, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. The final selection is an interview with Barack Obama on his relationship with reading. My favorite essay here is “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who so beautifully argues the necessity of multiplicity and diversity in stories.
For more about my thoughts on this book, check out my review post at http://unfinishedintellectual.com/2018/05/01/black-ink-literary-legends-on-the-peril-power-and-pleasure-of-reading-and-writing/
A collection of 25 essays written between the early 1800s and the early 2000s, this anthology of Black writers’ perspectives on reading and writing is a lament for the struggles of those excluded from the literary world and a celebration of the power of that world.
The early essays move readers through the literary journeys of some of the most influential Black authors at the turn of the 20th century. Kept from reading and writing by practice and law, Blacks often learned in secret, protesting their restrictions and then using their newfound power to tell the world the truth about slavery and racism. This section on the Peril of Reading reveals the revolutionary power of words to communicate truth and effect change by excerpting works from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, Up From Slavery, The Souls of Black Folk, and Twelve Years a Slave. Writing is activism.
The middle section, on the Power of Reading, contains 13 essays from writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., and Toni Morrison, to name a few. This is a much broader cross-section of authors and topics than part 1 and attempting to effectively paraphrase them in their entirety is just not possible, nor would it communicate the breadth of force these essays possess.
The third section focuses on the Pleasure of Reading and Writing, featuring authors such as Junot Diaz, Roxane Gay, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. The final selection is an interview with Barack Obama on his relationship with reading. My favorite essay here is “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who so beautifully argues the necessity of multiplicity and diversity in stories.
For more about my thoughts on this book, check out my review post at http://unfinishedintellectual.com/2018/05/01/black-ink-literary-legends-on-the-peril-power-and-pleasure-of-reading-and-writing/
xandrao's review against another edition
5.0
Phenomenal. Stephanie Stokes Oliver has gathered an incredible group of voices in this collection. Some of these excerpts were familiar to me and I was glad for the chance to return to them, while it also awakened me to stories and voices that I had not yet known. She takes us on a journey through time which gives powerful context to the voices old and new in the canon of black writing. I am deeply grateful for this collection which I know I will return to many times.
vsbedford's review against another edition
5.0
A must-have collection - in both content, view point, and authorial position. If I was an English professor, or a teacher of any kind, this would be my go-to text. A strong, strong recommend.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
raehink's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
aprotestnovel's review against another edition
4.0
A very well curated collection. IMO this book should be a standard in anyone's personal library.
morgib's review against another edition
5.0
Reading how famous POC authors of different backgrounds write about how literature had helped them really gave me a bigger appreciation about literature myself. I loved reading each different story
renaegade's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent anthology of great writers who came before us and made a way. It’s a book everyone should read.
amma_keep_reading's review
5.0
Loved love loved this! I usually crawl throw reading nonfiction so almost always listen via audiobook. This was book reads like a collection of short stories and it's amazing and humbling, poignant and important.