Step into a World: A Global Anthology of the New Black Literature by Kevin Powell (Editor), Powell

From the Publisher

Step Into A World

"Kevin Powell is pushing to bring, as he has so brilliantly done before, the voices of his generation: the concerns, the cares, the fears, and the fearlessness. Step into a World is a kaleidoscope into the world not bound by artificial constructs like nation. John Coltrane recorded 'Giant Steps,' which is a riff on the sight and sounds in his muse. Powell plays the computer with equal astuteness." -Nikki Giovanni

"Those of us who pay attention were aware that the younger generation of black writers was being smothered by the anointment of talented tenth Divas and Divuses, and their commercial accommodationist 'Fourth Renaissance. 'This anthology is indeed a breakthrough! It combines the boldness and daring of hip-hop with the intellectual keenness of a Michele Wallace or a Clyde Taylor." -Ishmael Reed

"In a culture where videos, the Internet, and other high-tech communication is being consumed like the latest mind-altering drug, how does great literature grow and survive? These writers will answer that all-important question. This anthology provides a clue, a hint, as to where we might be going. They are resisting all this vacant, empty-minded nothingness. Read them. Listen to them. If you don't, you do so at your peril." -Quincy Troupe

Essence - Patrick Henry Bass

Cultural critic Kevin Powell's Step into a World is a watershed moment in hip-hop writing, a thought-provoking book with a broad range of voices, from Ben Okri to Junot Didaz.

Library Journal

This anthology of young, contemporary black writers generally maintains a precarious balance between authentic discovery and promotional marketing, although the writing varies widely in quality and relevance (some selections are quite riveting, others just self-absorbed). Divided into six sections--"Essays," "Hip-Hop Journalism," "Criticism," "Fiction," "Poetry," and "Dialogue"--the collection presents a broad range of voices and perspectives, although a majority of them are, not surprisingly, from the United States. While some of the texts, particularly those on hip-hop, seem overly dramatic and hyperbolic, some very fine writing emerges in the "Essays" section. Mostly autobiographical, these selections address the very real contemporary problems of black identity in a post-Civil Rights era in which the political battle lines have become much more blurred and the issues of self, nation, class, gender, sexuality, and history are immensely complicated. The items in the "Dialogue" section are the most strident and the most inventive and compelling. Even though this book will mainly be used as a classroom textbook, it could be a valuable addition to larger collections and other libraries interested in offering brief introductions to young black writers.--Roger A. Berger, Everett Community Coll., WA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

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• Table of Contents

Table of Contents