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Graphic Classics #22
African-American Classics
African-American Classics presents great stories and poems from America''s earliest Black writers, illustrated by contemporary African-American artists. Featured are "Two Americans" by Florence Lewis Bentley, "The Goophered Grapevine" by Charles W. Chesnutt, "Becky" by Jean Toomer, two short plays by Zora Neale Hurston, and six more tales of humor and tragedy. Also featured are eleven poems, including Langston Hughes'' "Danse Africaine" and "The Negro", plus Paul Laurence Dunbar''s "Sympathy" (''I know why the caged bird sings... '')
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2011
13 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Langston Hughes
623 books2,150 followersThrough poetry, prose, and drama, American writer James Langston Hughes made important contributions to the Harlem renaissance; his best-known works include
Weary Blues
(1926) and
The Ways of White Folks
(1934).
People best know this social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist James Mercer Langston Hughes, one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry, for his famous written work about the period, when "Harlem was in vogue."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langsto...
People best know this social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist James Mercer Langston Hughes, one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry, for his famous written work about the period, when "Harlem was in vogue."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langsto...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 3, 2012
Reason for Reading: I absolutely love this series of books and read each new one that comes out. I hope to get around to reading more of their backlist this year.
Usually when I read one of these collections of themed books I am familiar with a majority of the works but this time everything was new for me. I do read Black authors but they are contemporary ones such as Toni Morrison, making this an introduction for me to these early Black authors. I should say I was familiar with one writer and that is the poet Langston Hughes. This book does contain more than the norm, for this series, of poetry which I thought would bug me (not a poetry person) but I rather enjoyed the poems especially "Danse Africaine" (which was new to me) by Langston Hughes.
Grouping together a collection of stories based on author's race rather than a literary theme makes for a wide selection of genres to be represented (though I would say they all expressed the Black experience) and as such a few were not exactly my thing, but I enjoyed the majority of them and found several of them to be excellent. My favourite story was"Lex Talionis" by Robert W. Bagnall, a creepy tale of revenge. I also enjoyed "Two Americans" by Florence Lewis Bentley, "The Goophered Grapevine" by Charles W. Chestnutt. I found "Sanctum 777 N.S.D.C.O.U. Meets Cleopatra" by Leila Amos Pendleton to be a joy and was deeply touched with "Becky" by Jean Toomer.
The illustrations throughout the book are fantastic, presenting a wide range of styles and making for a visually stunning book. But then isn't every book in this series! It should be noted that the illustrators for this book are themselves all contemporary Black artists. A great book to treat yourself for Black History Month, or well, just anytime! I certainly appreciate the introduction to authors I've never read before.
Usually when I read one of these collections of themed books I am familiar with a majority of the works but this time everything was new for me. I do read Black authors but they are contemporary ones such as Toni Morrison, making this an introduction for me to these early Black authors. I should say I was familiar with one writer and that is the poet Langston Hughes. This book does contain more than the norm, for this series, of poetry which I thought would bug me (not a poetry person) but I rather enjoyed the poems especially "Danse Africaine" (which was new to me) by Langston Hughes.
Grouping together a collection of stories based on author's race rather than a literary theme makes for a wide selection of genres to be represented (though I would say they all expressed the Black experience) and as such a few were not exactly my thing, but I enjoyed the majority of them and found several of them to be excellent. My favourite story was"Lex Talionis" by Robert W. Bagnall, a creepy tale of revenge. I also enjoyed "Two Americans" by Florence Lewis Bentley, "The Goophered Grapevine" by Charles W. Chestnutt. I found "Sanctum 777 N.S.D.C.O.U. Meets Cleopatra" by Leila Amos Pendleton to be a joy and was deeply touched with "Becky" by Jean Toomer.
The illustrations throughout the book are fantastic, presenting a wide range of styles and making for a visually stunning book. But then isn't every book in this series! It should be noted that the illustrators for this book are themselves all contemporary Black artists. A great book to treat yourself for Black History Month, or well, just anytime! I certainly appreciate the introduction to authors I've never read before.
December 9, 2011
Amazing stories!
May 10, 2013
Great stories and poetry! It is an awesome introduction to the early African American writers!
February 23, 2017
This is a good book to introduce yourself to African American authors of the early 20th century. The art is pretty good, but it didn't always marry perfectly with the stories.
March 21, 2017
The Reward: Beautiful.
Two Americans: OK art, but a good, touching story.
On Being Crazy: Nice art, and made me want to read the whole story.
The Negro: Like the poem and like the art, but they don't quite go together.
Danse Africaine: Gorgeous.
A Carnival Jangle: I don't like the art, and I feel like too many parts of the story were cut out.
The Castaways: Love it, but could've worked better as several panels.
America: Great poem and great art.
Lawing and Jawing: Very nice art, but I don't like the story, partially because I feel that I don't get it. Is it some sort of satire?
Lex Talionis: Messed up. but in the best way. Good at building and keeping the tension.
Becky: Sad. The art is OK.
In the Matter of Two Men: Great art. I like how it tells the story.
Sympathy: I wish they had made it into an actual comic.
We Wear the Mask: Good.
Buyers of Dreams: Too preachy for my tastes.
The Bronze Legacy: Both art and poem are excellent.
The Goophered Grapevine: Excellent fun story with decent art.
Sanctum 777 NSDCOU Meets Cleopatra: I don't really get the whole setup, so I feel like I'm missing out the cultural significance of the story.
De Cunjah Man: Hate the art, but the rest is fun.
Filling Station: A slice of life story. Very dynamic art.
The Ghost of Deacon Brown: Good art.
Aunt Chloe's Politics: Boring art.
Shalmanezer: I love the art.
Overall I lied the art, but many of the stories felt a bit gutted, and often the art didn't really complement the story as it should.
Two Americans: OK art, but a good, touching story.
On Being Crazy: Nice art, and made me want to read the whole story.
The Negro: Like the poem and like the art, but they don't quite go together.
Danse Africaine: Gorgeous.
A Carnival Jangle: I don't like the art, and I feel like too many parts of the story were cut out.
The Castaways: Love it, but could've worked better as several panels.
America: Great poem and great art.
Lawing and Jawing: Very nice art, but I don't like the story, partially because I feel that I don't get it. Is it some sort of satire?
Lex Talionis: Messed up. but in the best way. Good at building and keeping the tension.
Becky: Sad. The art is OK.
In the Matter of Two Men: Great art. I like how it tells the story.
Sympathy: I wish they had made it into an actual comic.
We Wear the Mask: Good.
Buyers of Dreams: Too preachy for my tastes.
The Bronze Legacy: Both art and poem are excellent.
The Goophered Grapevine: Excellent fun story with decent art.
Sanctum 777 NSDCOU Meets Cleopatra: I don't really get the whole setup, so I feel like I'm missing out the cultural significance of the story.
De Cunjah Man: Hate the art, but the rest is fun.
Filling Station: A slice of life story. Very dynamic art.
The Ghost of Deacon Brown: Good art.
Aunt Chloe's Politics: Boring art.
Shalmanezer: I love the art.
Overall I lied the art, but many of the stories felt a bit gutted, and often the art didn't really complement the story as it should.
November 6, 2016
While some of the authors were names I recognized, the rest were unfamiliar to me, pointing out one of the two main points of value to this graphic novel. The first is that it is a way to introduce people to the writings of the well known African-American writers at the earliest point when it began to be a genre. The writings are superb and their legacy needs to be maintained for their historical and cultural value.
The second point is that the work of the lesser known writers needs to be elevated into the public consciousness. All of them had a significant influence on the development of African-American literature at a time of great struggle to be heard.
The authors featured in this collection are:
*) Langston Hughes
*) Zora Neale Hurston
*) W. E. B. Dubois
*) Paul Laurence Dunbar
*) Alice Dunbar Nelson
*) Jean Toomer
*) Claude McKay
*) Frances E. W. Harper
*) Charles W. Chesnutt
Graphic novels often serve as a gateway for people, particularly the young, to be introduced to the act of engaging their mind as well as being exposed to new forms of literature. This one does both very well. I strongly recommend it for middle and high school literature classes where the instructor is looking for new ways to stimulate young readers. Short biographies of the authors are included at the end.
The second point is that the work of the lesser known writers needs to be elevated into the public consciousness. All of them had a significant influence on the development of African-American literature at a time of great struggle to be heard.
The authors featured in this collection are:
*) Langston Hughes
*) Zora Neale Hurston
*) W. E. B. Dubois
*) Paul Laurence Dunbar
*) Alice Dunbar Nelson
*) Jean Toomer
*) Claude McKay
*) Frances E. W. Harper
*) Charles W. Chesnutt
Graphic novels often serve as a gateway for people, particularly the young, to be introduced to the act of engaging their mind as well as being exposed to new forms of literature. This one does both very well. I strongly recommend it for middle and high school literature classes where the instructor is looking for new ways to stimulate young readers. Short biographies of the authors are included at the end.
September 28, 2013
This is a collection of classics that were adapted to graphic stories. The adaptions have been simplified and detailed graphics have been added to provide emphasis. I think this is a way to introduce young people as they are short enough to capture their attention and make them want more. I recommend this book (short graphic novellas/poems) to everyone. It's an experience that young and old can appreciate.
February 4, 2016
This book can be approached in two ways: as an introduction to early black writers, well-known and less so; or as a visual interpretation of their works, giving them a vibrancy that may intrigue readers to pursue more from these writers. The artists have impressive cred having worked for groups such as Marvel, DC Comics, various popular animation series and MTV, and their varying styles are compelling to behold.
August 12, 2013
wow. wow. wow.
6 star book
most of these stories i didn't know, now i've got a lot of authors to chase down.
three favorites; "on being crazy" by w.e.b. dubois and illoed by kyle baker, "the goophered grapevine" by charles chesnutt and "buyers of dreams" by ethel m. caution and beautifully illoed by leilani hickerson.
not a page is wasted and every page is art.
6 star book
most of these stories i didn't know, now i've got a lot of authors to chase down.
three favorites; "on being crazy" by w.e.b. dubois and illoed by kyle baker, "the goophered grapevine" by charles chesnutt and "buyers of dreams" by ethel m. caution and beautifully illoed by leilani hickerson.
not a page is wasted and every page is art.
April 24, 2014
Not all of these stories were gems, but I enjoyed them for the most part. Some of these stories were rather grim for children, but I think high school students should be fine. The illustrations across the board were great and I think this book would be a good way to expose teenagers to black literature!
January 19, 2018
This collection of graphic retellings of classic African-American literature was a little hit or miss for me. The art work and story style vary widely from story to story and some were less enjoyable than others. There are a few well known stories and several that I've never seen before. I enjoyed the majority of the short stories and the variety of subject collected.
March 30, 2019
Every volume qualifies for this review:
Graphic Classics is the greatest anthology
Tom Pomplun prospects gold talent and sets upon them well-grouped jewels of literature.
I only buy them when I find a volume at or below $4 otherwise I would have read them all a long time ago!
Graphic Classics is the greatest anthology
Tom Pomplun prospects gold talent and sets upon them well-grouped jewels of literature.
I only buy them when I find a volume at or below $4 otherwise I would have read them all a long time ago!
April 4, 2013
Poetry, humor, social commentary and advocacy all find a place in this inventive graphic novel. I must say, however, that the moral of "Buyers of Dreams" made me squirm with discomfort, even if it was written in 1921.
July 21, 2016
Solid collection, my fave is the WEB DuBois story. The first Zora Neale Hurston is a close second. There were only two stories I couldn't get with, and it was honestly because I didn't like the art enough.
February 16, 2016
Stories and poems that have been illustrated and some have been adapted all from African Americans. I liked more of the poems than the stories but an interesting read. There is also more information on the writers, adapters and illustrators at the end.
June 28, 2013
Great writers, great illustrators, entertaining presentation!
Kudos; highly recommended for readers either familiar or unfamiliar with black literature.
Kudos; highly recommended for readers either familiar or unfamiliar with black literature.
Read
October 1, 2013This was really a wonderful adaptation, and the selections were strong.
December 16, 2013
Great collection of some very surprising stories. I loved the variety in styles. Was especially taken by the crafty comics adaptations done by our friend Alex Simmons. Well done!
August 21, 2015
+the artwork
-most of the stories were eh/not good, perpetuates stereotypes a bit, none of the stories had an impact, emotionally didn't catch me
-most of the stories were eh/not good, perpetuates stereotypes a bit, none of the stories had an impact, emotionally didn't catch me
February 9, 2015
Different artists and words from many African Americans. Interesting.
March 8, 2015
Great graphic adaptations of the works of many great, early African American writers. Adapted, edited, and illustrated by African American writers and artists.
March 13, 2015
I'm glad it exists. It is however difficult to read from panel to panel.
January 25, 2017
Amazing to think that these independently illustrated African American short stories were written in the late 19th and early 20th century. The writing is brave, edgy and culturally enriching.
October 26, 2018
wanted to like this but i’m not a fan of the censoring that was done the use of certain language is important and it was certainly downplayed here.
May 31, 2021
My YA son and I read this together, and we both liked it. It actually popped into his mind again a few months after we finished it, and he related a few favorite lines from "De Cunjah Man" by James Edwin Campbell (which was one of the entries in 'dialect,' as the book called it).
The book was a nice introduction to the breadth of early African American literature, with many "firsts". It was also a nice introduction to a variety of modern African-American graphic artists, who also have achieved "firsts" (for example, Christopher Priest was the first African American editor in mainstream comics in 1984). The artwork is varied in style from artistic (a beautiful page by Keith Mallett) to realistic to cartoony.
The written inclusions range from tragedy to comedy, with poems and stories in various styles and genres (including elements of science fiction in "Lex Talionis" by Robert W. Bagnall). Some were allegorical or message-focused, and while they were important to include, they have a more limited modern appeal than some of the other inclusions.
The earliest entry was from 1891, and the latest from the 1930s. The authors are (in alphabetical order):
Bagnall, Robert W.
Bentley, Florence Lewis
Campbell, James Edwin
Caution, Ethel
Chesnutt, Charles W.
Corrothers, James D.
DuBois, W.E.B
Dunbar, Paul Laurence
Harper, Frances E.W.
Hughes, Langston
Hurston, Zora Neale
Johnson, James Weldon
McKay, Claude
Nelson, Alice Dunbar
Newsome, Effie Lee
Pendleton, Leila Amos
Toomer, Jean
The book was a nice introduction to the breadth of early African American literature, with many "firsts". It was also a nice introduction to a variety of modern African-American graphic artists, who also have achieved "firsts" (for example, Christopher Priest was the first African American editor in mainstream comics in 1984). The artwork is varied in style from artistic (a beautiful page by Keith Mallett) to realistic to cartoony.
The written inclusions range from tragedy to comedy, with poems and stories in various styles and genres (including elements of science fiction in "Lex Talionis" by Robert W. Bagnall). Some were allegorical or message-focused, and while they were important to include, they have a more limited modern appeal than some of the other inclusions.
The earliest entry was from 1891, and the latest from the 1930s. The authors are (in alphabetical order):
Bagnall, Robert W.
Bentley, Florence Lewis
Campbell, James Edwin
Caution, Ethel
Chesnutt, Charles W.
Corrothers, James D.
DuBois, W.E.B
Dunbar, Paul Laurence
Harper, Frances E.W.
Hughes, Langston
Hurston, Zora Neale
Johnson, James Weldon
McKay, Claude
Nelson, Alice Dunbar
Newsome, Effie Lee
Pendleton, Leila Amos
Toomer, Jean
November 3, 2024
I first found this book because I was looking for works by Paul Laurence Dunbar (a couple of his works are in this book). I recognized a few of the other contributors, which was great, but even better is that I was introduced to several authors and artists I'd never heard of.
While there are many great works in this collection, the standouts for me were "Two Americans" by Florence Lewis Bentley and "Lex Talionis" by Robert W. Bagnall. These stories stayed with me after I read them. And the art for them was very well done, at times brutally so.
This is a great collection, and a fantastic starting point for anyone wanting to delve into the works of African American authors.
While there are many great works in this collection, the standouts for me were "Two Americans" by Florence Lewis Bentley and "Lex Talionis" by Robert W. Bagnall. These stories stayed with me after I read them. And the art for them was very well done, at times brutally so.
This is a great collection, and a fantastic starting point for anyone wanting to delve into the works of African American authors.
August 2, 2022
An introduction to some Black writers of whom I've either not heard or whom I have not read before. The stories are like any anthology--all over the place. Some are good, some are meh. Same with the art. There is some absolutely gorgeous art pieces in this. So, like many anthologies, I'm glad I picked it up to discover some new writers and artists.
May 26, 2022
Some of the stories and poems were 5 star “marriages” or word & art, but in other cases, I found the art distracting or the layout confusing. So! It averages out.
March 1, 2017
This was enjoyable, with selected poems and stories from African-American writers ranging from tragedy, drama, hope, and humour adapted by current writers and illustrators such as Kyle Baker, Lance Tooks, Mat Johnson and Christopher Priest.
December 12, 2016
A great anthology, though of mixed quality. Thrilled it exists, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews