Read until you understand : the profound wisdom of Black life and literature / Farah Jasmine Griffin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Griffin, Farah Jasmine, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

American literature--African American authors--History and criticism.

American literature.

American literature--African American authors.

African Americans--Intellectual life.

African Americans.

African Americans--Social conditions.

Griffin, Farah Jasmine--Books and reading.

Griffin, Farah Jasmine.

Books and reading.

Genre:

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

xii, 257 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : W. W. Norton & Company, 2021.

Summary:

""A masterpiece. . . . Farah Jasmine Griffin's magical words enchant and empower us like those of her towering heroes." -Cornel West. Farah Jasmine Griffin's beloved father died when she was nine, bequeathing her an unparalleled inheritance in closets full of remarkable books and other records of Black genius. In Read Until You understand-a line from a note he wrote to her-she shares a lifetime of discoveries: the ideas that framed the United States Constitution and that inspired Malcolm X's fervent speeches, the soulful music of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, the daring literature of Phillis Wheatley and Toni Morrison, the artistry of Romare Bearden, and many others. Having taught a popular Columbia University survey course of Black literature, she explores themes such as grace, justice, rage, self-determination, beauty, and mercy to help readers grapple with the ongoing project that is American democracy. Joining her experiences in Black communities with her immersion in the glorious works of Black artists, Read Until You Understand is a powerful testament to the enduring wisdom of Black culture and history"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. Legacy, Love, Learning

2. The Question of Mercy

3. Black Freedom and the Idea(l) of America

4. The Quest for Justice

5. Rage and Resistance

6. Death

7. The Transformative Potential of Love

8. Joy and Something Like Self-Determination

9. Cultivating Beauty

10. Of Gardens and Grace.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Hurston/Wright Legacy Award - Nonfiction, Finalist, 2022

Local Notes:

Athenaeum copy: Beardwood Fund bookplate.

Other Format:

ebook version :

ISBN:

9780393651904

0393651908

OCLC:

1233268579