The Reed Reader

by Ishmael Reed

Ishmael Reed has been described as cavorting "like a black bull in the china shop of Western culture," and The Reed Reader is a collection of the sharp, jagged results of his rampage. In it, one of the most renowned African American writers offers a generous sampling of the brilliant and witty satire, the politically charged, wildly imaginative storytelling, and the caustic cultural criticism that have become his trademarks. In these excerpts from his celebrated novels, poems, plays, and essays, Reed displays an ironic wit, a cold, keen eye for economic exploitation, a hilarious sense of the absurd, and a slender but persistent optimism for the determined souls who transcend their environment and penetrate illusions by daring acts of will. The Reed Reader is the cumulative representation of an astonishing career, a powerful testament to Reed's many and enormous literary gifts.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Essays, African American, Politics, American

524 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

About the author

Ishmael Scott Reed is an American poet, essayist, and novelist. A prominent African-American literary figure, Reed is known for his satirical works challenging American political culture, and highlighting political and cultural oppression.

Reed has been described as one of the most controversial writers. While his work has often sought to represent neglected African and African-American perspectives, his energy and advocacy have centered more broadly on neglected peoples and perspectives irrespective of their cultural origins.

Reviews

[michal k-c]

not going to rate this because it's an anthology for a single writer, and a pretty disparate one at that. I will say it did its job as a "Reader", in that it got me interested enough to order a couple of Reed's novels. Weirdly enough the intro (written by Reed himself) may have been the most interesting thing in this, and that is saying quite a lot.

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

from the wide collection of writings included here, the essays were the highlight of the book for me ... not so interested in reading excerpts from the novels - but, indeed, i want to read some of those. the poetry is pretty good ... so far my favorite ishmael reed is BLUES CITY, a rant on the history of oakland.