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The Blacker the Berry . . .

By Wallace Thurman
Introduction by Allyson Hobbs

By Wallace Thurman
Introduction by Allyson Hobbs

By Wallace Thurman
Introduction by Allyson Hobbs

By Wallace Thurman
Introduction by Allyson Hobbs

Best Seller
Paperback $16.00

Jan 16, 2018 | ISBN 9780143131878

Ebook $11.99

Jan 16, 2018 | ISBN 9781524705732

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    The Blacker the Berry . . . by Wallace Thurman
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    Jan 16, 2018 | ISBN 9780143131878

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    About The Blacker the Berry . . .

    The groundbreaking Harlem Renaissance novel about prejudice within the black community
     
    Emma Lou Morgan’s skin is black. So black that it’s a source of shame to her not only among the largely white community of her hometown of Boise, Idaho, but also among her lighter-skinned family and friends. Seeking a community where she will be accepted, she leaves home at age eighteen, traveling first to Los Angeles and then to New York City, where in the Harlem of the 1920s she finds a vibrant scene of nightclubs and dance halls and parties and love affairs . . . and, still, rejection by her own race.

    One of the most widely read and controversial works of the Harlem Renaissance, and the first novel to openly address prejudice among black Americans and the issue of colorism, The Blacker the Berry . . . is a book of undiminished power about the invidious role of skin color in American society.
     
    For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,800 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

    About The Blacker the Berry . . .

    The groundbreaking Harlem Renaissance novel about prejudice within the black community
     
    Emma Lou Morgan’s skin is black. So black that it’s a source of shame to her not only among the largely white community of her hometown of Boise, Idaho, but also among her lighter-skinned family and friends. Seeking a community where she will be accepted, she leaves home at age eighteen, traveling first to Los Angeles and then to New York City, where in the Harlem of the 1920s she finds a vibrant scene of nightclubs and dance halls and parties and love affairs . . . and, still, rejection by her own race.

    One of the most widely read and controversial works of the Harlem Renaissance, and the first novel to openly address prejudice among black Americans and the issue of colorism, The Blacker the Berry . . . is a book of undiminished power about the invidious role of skin color in American society.
     
    For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,800 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

    Read An Excerpt

    Read An Excerpt

    Also by Wallace Thurman

    The Messenger Reader
    See all books by Wallace Thurman

    Also by Wallace Thurman

    The Messenger Reader
    See all books by Wallace Thurman

    About Wallace Thurman

    Wallace Thurman (1902–1934), a novelist, essayist, editor, and playwright of the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and moved to Harlem in 1925. In 1926 he became the editor of the socialist journal The Messenger, where he published the early… More about Wallace Thurman

    About Wallace Thurman

    Wallace Thurman (1902–1934), a novelist, essayist, editor, and playwright of the Harlem Renaissance, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and moved to Harlem in 1925. In 1926 he became the editor of the socialist journal The Messenger, where he published the early… More about Wallace Thurman

    Product Details

    Category: Fiction Classics | Literary Fiction

    Paperback | $16.00
    Published by Penguin Classics
    Jan 16, 2018 | 192 Pages | 5-1/16 x 7-3/4 | ISBN 9780143131878

    Category: Fiction Classics | Literary Fiction

    Ebook | $11.99
    Published by Penguin Classics
    Jan 16, 2018 | 192 Pages | ISBN 9781524705732

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    Praise

    “The first novel to focus its plot on race prejudice or ‘colorism’ among African Americans . . . Apart from the vibrant character of Emma Lou, Thurman’s novel presents some of the most layered portrayals of New York City life I’ve ever come across, from seedy employment agency waiting rooms to swank Harlem hot spots.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air

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