Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Jendi's avatar

Brilliant essay. Reminds me of the poet Reginald Shepherd's essay collection "Orpheus in the Bronx" where he complains about critics who reduce literature to "a symptom of social position". I think the publishing-marketing machine likes to focus on the author as a brand, a source of gossipy anecdotes -- an extra burden on top of the racial pigeonholing you describe so well.

Expand full comment
CC Lemon's avatar

The trauma, man, no one wants to hear about it! They ask how you are, and want to hear "fine."

Expand full comment
12 more comments...

No posts