The Life and Work of John Edgar Wideman

Informationen zum Autor Keith E. Byerman , PhD, is professor of English, African American studies, and women's studies at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN. Klappentext Challenging. Successful. Controversial. All terms used to accurately describe African American novelist and autobiographer John Edgar Wideman. This book examines his life and work-and the connections between them. The Life and Work of John Edgar Wideman is ideal for readers who might not be familiar with Wideman's work or those who may have been intimidated by descriptions of his writings. Through its coverage of Wideman's life from several generations back to the present and explanations of how Wideman makes use of life experiences, this book breaks down barriers for new readers and enables them to better relate and connect to his writing. Author Keith E. Byerman discusses Wideman's book-length works of fiction and nonfiction, as well as some of his shorter, journalistic pieces. The book emphasizes how Wideman integrates family and personal experience into what is typically labeled postmodern writing, and explains how he has evolved as a public intellectual who supplies shrewd commentary on subjects such as the prison system, terrorism, and the role of sports in American society. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction: Telling the Story of John Edgar Wideman1 Gathering the Family2 "The Astonishing John Wideman": The Years of Education3 Establishing a Career4 Family Tragedies5 Success as a Storyteller6 Philadelphia Stories7 The Writer as Social Critic8 Wideman's Mash-UpsConclusion: The Achievement of John Edgar WidemanNotesSelected BibliographyIndex

Autorentext

Keith E. Byerman, PhD, is professor of English, African American studies, and women's studies at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN.

Klappentext

Challenging. Successful. Controversial. All terms used to accurately describe African American novelist and autobiographer John Edgar Wideman. This book examines his life and work-and the connections between them. The Life and Work of John Edgar Wideman is ideal for readers who might not be familiar with Wideman's work or those who may have been intimidated by descriptions of his writings. Through its coverage of Wideman's life from several generations back to the present and explanations of how Wideman makes use of life experiences, this book breaks down barriers for new readers and enables them to better relate and connect to his writing. Author Keith E. Byerman discusses Wideman's book-length works of fiction and nonfiction, as well as some of his shorter, journalistic pieces. The book emphasizes how Wideman integrates family and personal experience into what is typically labeled postmodern writing, and explains how he has evolved as a public intellectual who supplies shrewd commentary on subjects such as the prison system, terrorism, and the role of sports in American society.

Inhalt

Introduction: Telling the Story of John Edgar Wideman 1 Gathering the Family 2 "The Astonishing John Wideman": The Years of Education 3 Establishing a Career 4 Family Tragedies 5 Success as a Storyteller 6 Philadelphia Stories 7 The Writer as Social Critic 8 Wideman's Mash-Ups Conclusion: The Achievement of John Edgar Wideman Notes Selected Bibliography Index