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A review by lep42
Black Noir: Mystery, Crime, and Suspense Fiction by African-American Writers by
4.0
This was a solid collection which I liked for several reason
(1) One of the theme was role of the PI in investigating crimes in communities that mistrust the police (due to racism on the part of the police, violence by the police etc.) The book also explored the interesting space occupied by African-American cops. Both themes are extremely relevant currently.
(2) An writing motif common to the noir mystery genre is the use of the "twist," and this book makes use of it in spades with several stories in the collection employing one. Some of the ones that didn't, you wished they did.
(3) It included stories which I would term "country noir." I think too often noir is thought of as an urban genre. This article on the topic looks interesting.
(4) The inclusion of older works. The earliest in this book, "The Sheriff's Children," by Charles Waddell Chesnutt, was published in 1889 and was probably my favorite piece in the book. Waddell would later going on to be an civil rights activist, serving on the General Committee of the NAACP.
(5) Like most anthologies, I read this one with an eye toward exposure to authors I'd want to read more of, and it didn't fail me on that score due to their sadness without one.
Pieces I particularly enjoyed and want to read more of the author
"Old Boys, Old Girls" by[a:Edward P. Jones|33|Edward P. Jones|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1206505071p2/33.jpg] is notable for it's stark simple language which builds and winds up packing quite a punch
"I'll Be Doggone" by [a:Paula L. Woods|47890|Paula L. Woods|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1288183586p2/47890.jpg] (She has a series and also edited the first anthology devote exclusively to the work of African-American crime writes ([b:Spooks, Spies, & Private Eyes: Black Mystery, Crime, & Suspense Fiction of the 20th Century|1205448|Spooks, Spies, & Private Eyes Black Mystery, Crime, & Suspense Fiction of the 20th Century|Paula L. Woods|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|192701]))
"On the Saturday the Siren Sounds at Noon by [a:Ann Petry|106861|Ann Petry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1276608800p2/106861.jpg] has a sad ending which you can spot a mile away but still aren't ready for.
"The Sherrif Children" by Charles W. Chesnutt (discussed above)
"The Canasta Club" by [a:Eleanor Taylor Bland|172411|Eleanor Taylor Bland|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1340057356p2/172411.jpg]Eleanor Taylor Bland teaches us that old ladies can be hella dangerous.
"Summer Session" by [a:Alice Dunbar-Nelson|43091|Alice Dunbar-Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1408401315p2/43091.jpg] was a slight story. What I mean by that is it was exactly what it was supposed to be without trying to do too much. Dunbar-Nelson was married for 4 years to the more famous [a:Paul Dunbar|5405082|Paul Dunbar|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. They divorced in part to her lesbian affairs. I most definitely want to read her autobiography, [b:Give Us Each Day: The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson|3804774|Give Us Each Day The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson|Alice Dunbar-Nelson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|3848981]. Her short story collection "[b:The Goodness of St. Rocque|10067762|The Goodness of St. Rocque|Alice Dunbar-Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355087696s/10067762.jpg|670203] is regarded as the first short story collection by an African-American woman. She is known for her reviews and essays which influenced more famous Harlem Renaissance writers.
Pieces which I also really enjoyed but for which didn't necessarily make me want to checkout more work by the author
"Corollary" by [a:Hughes Allison|7578103|Hughes Allison|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] was his only detective story.
"John Archer's Nose" by [a:Rudolph Fisher|113626|Rudolph Fisher|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1412780213p2/113626.jpg] had an interesting twist at the end and was about good solid detective work, but it dragged a bit in places.
"Black Dog" by Walter Mosley
(1) One of the theme was role of the PI in investigating crimes in communities that mistrust the police (due to racism on the part of the police, violence by the police etc.) The book also explored the interesting space occupied by African-American cops. Both themes are extremely relevant currently.
(2) An writing motif common to the noir mystery genre is the use of the "twist," and this book makes use of it in spades with several stories in the collection employing one. Some of the ones that didn't, you wished they did.
(3) It included stories which I would term "country noir." I think too often noir is thought of as an urban genre. This article on the topic looks interesting.
(4) The inclusion of older works. The earliest in this book, "The Sheriff's Children," by Charles Waddell Chesnutt, was published in 1889 and was probably my favorite piece in the book. Waddell would later going on to be an civil rights activist, serving on the General Committee of the NAACP.
(5) Like most anthologies, I read this one with an eye toward exposure to authors I'd want to read more of, and it didn't fail me on that score due to their sadness without one.
Pieces I particularly enjoyed and want to read more of the author
"Old Boys, Old Girls" by[a:Edward P. Jones|33|Edward P. Jones|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1206505071p2/33.jpg] is notable for it's stark simple language which builds and winds up packing quite a punch
"I'll Be Doggone" by [a:Paula L. Woods|47890|Paula L. Woods|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1288183586p2/47890.jpg] (She has a series and also edited the first anthology devote exclusively to the work of African-American crime writes ([b:Spooks, Spies, & Private Eyes: Black Mystery, Crime, & Suspense Fiction of the 20th Century|1205448|Spooks, Spies, & Private Eyes Black Mystery, Crime, & Suspense Fiction of the 20th Century|Paula L. Woods|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|192701]))
"On the Saturday the Siren Sounds at Noon by [a:Ann Petry|106861|Ann Petry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1276608800p2/106861.jpg] has a sad ending which you can spot a mile away but still aren't ready for.
"The Sherrif Children" by Charles W. Chesnutt (discussed above)
"The Canasta Club" by [a:Eleanor Taylor Bland|172411|Eleanor Taylor Bland|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1340057356p2/172411.jpg]Eleanor Taylor Bland teaches us that old ladies can be hella dangerous.
"Summer Session" by [a:Alice Dunbar-Nelson|43091|Alice Dunbar-Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1408401315p2/43091.jpg] was a slight story. What I mean by that is it was exactly what it was supposed to be without trying to do too much. Dunbar-Nelson was married for 4 years to the more famous [a:Paul Dunbar|5405082|Paul Dunbar|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. They divorced in part to her lesbian affairs. I most definitely want to read her autobiography, [b:Give Us Each Day: The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson|3804774|Give Us Each Day The Diary of Alice Dunbar-Nelson|Alice Dunbar-Nelson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|3848981]. Her short story collection "[b:The Goodness of St. Rocque|10067762|The Goodness of St. Rocque|Alice Dunbar-Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355087696s/10067762.jpg|670203] is regarded as the first short story collection by an African-American woman. She is known for her reviews and essays which influenced more famous Harlem Renaissance writers.
Pieces which I also really enjoyed but for which didn't necessarily make me want to checkout more work by the author
"Corollary" by [a:Hughes Allison|7578103|Hughes Allison|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] was his only detective story.
"John Archer's Nose" by [a:Rudolph Fisher|113626|Rudolph Fisher|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1412780213p2/113626.jpg] had an interesting twist at the end and was about good solid detective work, but it dragged a bit in places.
"Black Dog" by Walter Mosley