On Morrison - Namwali Serpell

Category: Autobiography & Biographies, Misc. Non-fiction
Language: English
Keywords: Books About Books Essays

Written by Namwali Serpell
Read by January LaVoy
Format: M4B
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
Release date: 02-17-26

An illuminating, electrifying exploration of the work of Toni Morrison by an award-winning novelist and Harvard professor—“a revelatory encounter with the Nobel laureate’s oeuvre” (The New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice)

“A landmark appraisal of the great novelist’s work . . . I have waited years for this book.”—Laila Lalami, The Guardian

“As gripping as it is intellectually brilliant . . . a classic.”—Cathy Park Hong

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Time, The Today Show, Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Ms., Esquire, Vulture, The Millions, Well-Read Black Girl, Electric Lit, Kirkus Reviews, Literary Hub, Book Riot

Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate and one of our most beloved writers, has inspired generations of readers. But her artistic genius is often overshadowed by her monumental public persona, perhaps because, as Namwali Serpell puts it, “she is our only truly canonical black female writer—and her work is highly complex.” In On Morrison, Serpell brings her unique experience as both an award-winning writer and a professor who teaches a course on Morrison to illuminate her masterful experiments with literary form.

This is Morrison as you’ve never encountered her before, a journey through her oeuvre—her fiction and criticism, as well as her lesser-known dramatic works and poetry—with contextual guidance and original close readings. At once accessible and uncompromisingly rigorous, On Morrison is a primer not only on how to read one of the most significant American authors of all time but also on how to read great works of literature in general. This dialogue on the page between two black women artist-readers is stylish, edifying, and thrilling in its scope and intelligence.