Heroism in the New Black Poetry

An important book. It deserves wide attention.

~Henry Louis Gates Jr.

If proof is needed that a 'second Black literary renaissance' is at hand, as poet Melhem asserts, then this rich anthology of six distinguished black poets should convince.

~Publishers Weekly

[Melhem] is herself a 'superstar' in understanding and interpreting modern Black American Poetry.... An excellent introduction to these particular poets.

~St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The primary biographies and clearly written essays serve as fine introductions to each of the authors.... The book is especially valuable for the sections on Cortez, Madhubuti, and Sanchez, writers who have not yet received the critical attention their work warrants.

~Choice

A useful and revealing collection of introductions and interviews.... Melhem's writing cogently analyzes the significant features of her subjects' artistic development and skillfully conveys the strong features of their personalities.

~Confrontation