This book is ahead of its time about a lady who was ahead of her time. Splendidly written. I really enjoyed this one.

Let us start with the title - it is fabulous!
Most of what hear regarding Toni Morrison focuses on her as a writer. This book focuses on her time at Random House as an editor. It is a great insight into the impact that she had on the works of others and the culture at large.
Readers will enjoy this if they want a deeper look into Morrison's scope and impact beyond her contributions to fiction and her overall imprint on the publishing industry.
It was interesting to learn about the other talented writers that she worked with in this capacity and the battles she faced to publish stories reflective of the black experience.

This is a superb, powerful, and compelling book about Toni Morrison's work as an editor of non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and the un-classifiable at Random House. (It's the book The World She Edited by Amy Reading could have been.) Williams, using Morrison's archives, digs into the how and why of Morrison asked authors for the changes she did, how she analyzed manuscripts, how she brought her expertise into editing groundbreaking works including Angela Davis's autobiography, poetry and fiction by Lucille Clifton, how much care and meaning she took with the layouts of the books she edited, her approaches to marketing and publicity, her deftness with contracts and working with authors who presented challenges, like Gayl Jones and Mohammad Ali and his various ghostwriters. Anyone interested in publishing and the creation of books should read this, and I'd add it to any syllabus for students wanting to become editors. It's also a pleasure to read in its own right--Williams is a master of biography and every word, excerpt, and detail is carefully chosen and placed and given context. It's a masterpiece.

A multifaceted genius, Toni Morrison transcended her role as an author, helping to shape an important period in American publishing and literature as an editor at one of the nation’s most prestigious publishing houses. While Toni Morrison's literary achievements are widely celebrated, her editorial work is little known. Drawing on extensive research and firsthand accounts, this comprehensive study discusses Morrison's remarkable journey from her early days at Random House to her emergence as one of its most important editors. During her tenure in editorial, Morrison refashioned the literary landscape, working with important authors, including Toni Cade Bambara, Leon Forrest, and Lucille Clifton, and empowering cultural icons such as Angela Davis and Muhammad Ali to tell their stories on their own terms.

Toni Morrison herself had great enthusiasm about Dana Williams's work on this story, generously sharing memories and thoughts with the author over the years, even giving her the book's title. From the manuscripts she molded, the authors she nurtured, and the readers she inspired, Toni at Random demonstrates how Toni Morrison has influenced American culture beyond the individual titles or authors she published. Morrison’s contribution as an editor transformed the broader literary landscape and deepened the cultural conversation. With unparalleled insight and sensitivity, Toni at Random charts this editorial odyssey.

This book is a great remembrance of a master at work and the projects that define Black literature. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in publishing, the genius of Morrison-especially the projects that she edited, and the challenges of editing. I especially could see it being useful for people who are chairing dissertations or other book projects.

As a fan of Toni Morrison I would read anything about her or written by her.. I enjoyed seeing a different side of her. Looking at her as an editor and not just a writer

Dana A. Williams captures Toni Morrison’s time at Random with precision and clarity. The opening chapter alone offers a masterclass in biographical storytelling. Any scholar of Black Literary Studies needs to have this book on their bookshelves. Undergraduate and graduate students alike will find the insight into Morrison’s life a delight. Superb work!

As a longtime reader and student of Toni Morrison’s work, Toni at Random felt like a long-overdue tribute to a side of Morrison often overlooked: her groundbreaking editorial career at Random House. Dana A. Williams delivers a deeply researched, emotionally captivating narrative of Morrison’s time as an editor, revealing just how much she endured and accomplished as a Black woman shaping the literary canon from behind the scenes.

What stood out most was the nuanced exploration of Morrison’s dual commitment both to her role within a major publishing house and to the Black writers and communities she championed. Williams doesn’t shy away from the tensions Morrison navigated, and the inclusion of letters and firsthand accounts added richness and depth to this portrait.

The chapters detailing her collaboration with Angela Davis, particularly the making of Davis’s genre-defying autobiography, were a highlight for me personally. It was inspiring to see how Morrison helped shape the voices and narratives of Black icons—not just with literary precision, but with care, courage, and political intention. This book exceeded all my expectations and further deepened my admiration for Morrison’s legacy, not just as a writer but as a visionary editor who reshaped American literature from the inside out. Bravo.

This is so inspiring. I had heard about the work that Toni did for budding young Black authors but to read it all laid out? Breathtaking. She was something. I miss her wisdom and her fervor and spirit as each day passes. Something I’ll take away from this is that she’s right, we cannot really rely on the publishers to make sure that Black authors are seen, heard, and supported. I highly recommend.