Unshuttered

By Patricia Smith,

Book cover of Unshuttered: Poems

Book description

An award-winning author presents a portrait of Black America in the nineteenth century

Over the course of two decades, award-winning poet Patricia Smith has amassed a collection of rare nineteenth-century photographs of Black men, women, and children who, in these pages, regard us from the staggering distance of time.

Unshuttered…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

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

Patricia Smith gathered a collection of antique portraits of African Americans, most from the years near the end of the Civil War and during Reconstruction. She gives those frozen subjects a voice and a story to give readers a piece of imagined history.

Her word choices give the poems a beautiful sound. The first poem of the collection was a personal favorite, and I expect I will read these poems many more times just to revisit them.

Want books like Unshuttered?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Unshuttered.

Browse books like Unshuttered

Book cover of Felon: Poems
Book cover of neckbone: visual verses
Book cover of Tougaloo Blues

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in African Americans, presidential biography, and race relations?

African Americans 808 books
Race Relations 265 books