The Black Interior

By Elizabeth Alexander,

Book cover of The Black Interior: Essays

Book description

Legendary poet Elizabeth Alexander turns her finely-honed sensibilities to the subject of blackness and the interior world of the modern African-American. Intelligent, perceptive and keenly observed, this collection of essays traces a thoughtful path through music, poetry and the outstanding social issues of the last 200 years to synthesise a…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked The Black Interior as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This book focuses mostly on literary criticism, but I chose it because of the theoretical work Alexander does in defining “the black interior.” The concept of the black interior unpacks the ways in which Black bodies and blackness have been devalued and dehumanized. This book and its theoretical underpinnings insist upon recoupling the “human” with blackness. I love how the book challenges viewing and spectatorship and calls upon readers to recognize black life and creativity beyond stereotypes that guide the limited imaginations of the dominant culture that relentlessly misrepresents and maligns blackness.

From Simone's list on Black popular culture.

Want books like The Black Interior?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 33 books like The Black Interior.

Browse books like The Black Interior

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Langston Hughes, New York City, and African Americans?

Langston Hughes 12 books
New York City 1,123 books
African Americans 801 books