Black Feeling Black Talk

by Nikki Giovanni

Book Overview

Black Feeling, Black Talk/Black Judgement is one of the single most important volumes of modern African-American poetry. This book, electrifying generations with its revolutionary phrases and inspiring them with such Nikki Giovanni masterpieces as the lyrical "Nikki-Rosa" and the intimate "Knoxville, Tennessee," is the seminal volume of Nikki Giovanni's body of work. Black Feeling, Black Talk/Black Judgement made Nikki Giovanni famous in 1968,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068825294X
• ISBN13: 9780688252946
• Release Date: January 1971
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Black Feeling , Black Talk, Black Judgement

I was really feeling her. She is an excellent poet. I meet her a year ago at A & T University in Greensboro NC. I love her work.

The Nikki I love

This is my favorite book of poems! It is filled with her militant black power poetry that is characterized by the era in which it was written. A must have for any Nikki fan or any poetry lover. Note: not for the sensitive reader

REVOLUTIONARY RHETORIC

A new and dynamic poet is in town. Her words are fiery and militant. She takes no prisoners and makes you think. Are you ready to listen to this young woman? Black Feeling, Black Talk, Black Judgement is Nikki Giovanni's first public collection of poems. In this slender volume we are caught up in the Black Revolution of the 60's. Nikki's voice is loud, clear and inspires all who will dare hear her. You will enjoy this work of the young Nikki as she articulates the cause of Black Nationalism and the Black Arts movement. At such a young age she has so much insight but her poetry moves beyond revolutionary rhetoric. Listen to "Nikki-Rosa" as she contemplates childhood rememberances. Attune your ears to "The Great Pax Whitie" where peace is still. Allow yourself to be challenged with "The True Import of Present Dialogue"and see what you are made of. Nikki will make you uncomfortable but will raise your consciousness. The only "flaw" of this reissue is the fact that it needs a new introduction to put it in its historical context for new readers. A first time reader would find many of her poems dated due to their ignorance of the time. The collection gives us a glimpse of an emerging young Black poet who is committed to her art and to the revolution. Enjoy this militant young voice who refuses to compromise.

Was it really that way back then?

The book was really powerful you can tell she was hard in the activist view, such as Black Panthers you can tell she wasn't to keen for white people, but you had to see it through her point of view. I the book is really for black people that want to know some truth about back then. And how she thought African-Americans were being treated. She had so much feeling built up and you can tell in her writing style. So I think my book was good for my high school book report.

A little intimidating, but...

At the suggestion of my 11th grade English teacher, I decided to check Nikki Giovanni out. This was the first of her books that I looked into, and as a white girl, I was intimidated. The angriest of her poems are contained in this work, but the anger is righteous. In addition to her militant poems, there are also some gorgeous ones. Though I love this book and I feel that any true fan of Giovanni should read it, I would not recommend it as a first book. Instead, pick up "Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day" or "Love Poems".