The LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka Reader

by Amiri Baraka

Book Overview

Amiri Baraka - dramatist, poet, essayist, orator, and fiction writer - is one of the preeminent African-American literary figures of our time. The Leroi Jones/Amiri Baraka Reader provides the most comprehensive selection of Baraka's work to date, spanning almost 40 years of a brilliant, prolific, and controversial career, in which he has produced more than 12 books of poetry, 26 plays, eight collections of essays and speeches, and two books of fiction...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560252383
• ISBN13: 9781560252382
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 624 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 4.9" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

An Awesome Artist and Philosopher

I would not take anyone's word uncritically or unexamined about anything really important. Amiri Baraka is a flawed man. At times he has sounded anti-semitic and other times in his life he has sounded homophobic. There is plenty in his life to contradict those seemingly mean spirited expressions. However, he was friends to the end with both Allen Ginsberg and James Baldwin among others and had children with Hattie (Cohen?)Jones. And I still don't get the "20 Volume Suicide Note"...musings of somebody not really ready to go quietly into that night? All that being said, I also find Baraka to be vigorous, rigorous, intellectually and spiritually adventuresome and brave of heart. I have learned MUCH from him. If you don't get it, maybe he isn't talking you or you are not willing to listen... He has written some beautiful, brilliant poetry that functions through many channels of communication. His essays about African based music are seminal, required, necessary. Baraka deserves criticism. None of the criticism here so far expresses anything of substance that I can discern. Personally, I experienced one of my rebirths though the Black Arts Movement. Baraka was one of the leading "midwives". I am VERY thankful for his presence in this crazy, cruel, wonderous world. If you really want to know the truth of what we call "America", the stench and the free-for-all wildflowers, you need to pass by his way.

Reviewing THE BOOK, Not The Controversy Surrounding Its Author

As a native of Newark, N.J., I grew up taking Amiri Baraka for granted. It wasn't until I moved to Maryland and finally read this book that I understood who I had met all those times. This is an EXTRAORDINARY work that details the growth and development of a significant American artist. Its editor takes much care in selecting samples that allow us to see divergent aspects of Baraka. Especially significant among the many gems within is the text of his eulogy for James Baldwin and his essay on Jesse Jackson. Those works are required reading for those needing to understand the 20th century African-American experience, particularly those who wish to do so as writers. This book has guided my view of the (African-)American writer's role.

An amazing man!

Buy this book. It's that simple. This book provides the reader with a developmental history of one of the greatest LIVING revolutionary minds this country has ever produced. He hits you in the heart without bashing you over the head. You may not agree with everything he says, or how he may have lived portions of his life, but you will be affected (in some capacity) by his wit, intelligence and the fierceness of his conventions. A must for anyone who thinks that they are " a radical" or "an activist." This book is rated UR and may not be suitable for un-realistic audiences.

Powerful words, and rasie race

I thought that this followed in Amiri baraka footsetps, as a more provacative and honest edition than the others. Very powerful and eye-opening!

The Warrior Poet

this man is the reason why i became a writer. to know leroi jones is to see the struggle etched into his face; to know him is to hear his voice, sometimes reeling with jazz and blues, others, like a hanna-barbera cartoon. he is the struggle continuing, showing you the america, mtv, cnn,and bet refuses to show. he was a beatnik, then a black nationalist and now a maoist, but always a poet. i have met him twice, and was amazed by his brillance each meeting. his words are about freedom. any of his books will tell you that. read all of them.