The Life and Work of John Edgar Wideman (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313366338)

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.

Author: Keith E. Byerman
ISBN-10: 0313366330
ISBN-13: 9780313366338
Publisher: Praeger
Language: English
Published: 08/27/2013
Pages: 208
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.50h x 6.00w x 0.70d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2014