I am honored, y'all. So very honored to read an advance copy of this collection of essays by one of the best essayists of our lifetime, Zora Neale Hurston. This anthology spans over 35 years of her work. It includes essays, criticisms and articles that give us a look into her world and time.

Among my favorites are essays about High John de Conquer, the Clotilda, shouting during sermons, our contribution to language, the customary three days for seeking a vision and how whites don't know us negroes other than what is seen on our shows. I took my time reading this book, frequently saying "Preach, Zora!" and nodding my head in strong agreement.

"Biddy, biddy, bend, my story is end." ~ 2%

Thank you to all those that make it possible for fans to read the last prose Zora Neale Hurston wrote. For allowing her words into print for our consumption. Even if you've read all of her published work, it's just something different about it organized into this one collection. Need I say more?

Happy Early Pub Day! You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays will be available Tuesday, January 4, 2022. ~LiteraryMarie

This book is a breath of fresh air. Not only does it expose us to new material from Hurston but work that has been out of print for decades. This is a deeper dive into Hurston who can sometimes come off as an literary enigma, but is always committed to the depth and language of Blacks in America without pandering to class notions or a white gaze.

An essay collection more for completists and academics. I enjoyed it because Hurston is a down to earth and plainspoken writer, but it's a lot of material.

Zora Neale Hurston had an incredible talent for writing profoundly unsettling fiction that settles deep in your bones and stays with you for a long time, and this collection of essays demonstrates that she's just as skilled in writing sharply compelling and memorable nonfiction as well.

This collection is comprised of essays, articles, and works of literary criticism that Hurston produced over many decades of prolific writing, and they present an excellent picture of her development as a writer and as a thinker. The organization of these essays into thematic sections contributes significantly to understanding them as a whole.

A really interesting work --
those readers who have a passing acquaintance with Hurston will likely find this gives them a deeper understanding of her work and thought.
If you're well versed in Hurston's material, you may find that it opens new perspectives on her writings.
Either way, this is an important entry in the canon of American non-fiction and well worth the time for
anyone who wants to learn more about Hurston.