Breaking Ice : An Anthology of Contemporary African-American Fiction

by McMillan, Terry; Wideman, John Edgar

• ISBN13: 9780140116977
• ISBN10: 0140116974
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1990-10-01
• Publisher: Penguin Books

Summary

A striking collection of works from authors both established and emerging, this is the first original anthology of African-American writing in over a decade. Featured contributors include: J. California Cooper, Marita Golden, Gloria Naylor, Darryl Pinckney, Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, Ishmael Reed, Terry McMillan, and many others.

Author Biography

Terry McMillan is the critically acclaimed, award-winning author of five previous novels and recipient of the Essence Award for Excellence in Literature.

Table of Contents

Preface	v
John Edgar Wideman
Introduction	xv
Terry McMillan
Sarah	1	(20)
Tina McElroy Ansa
Looking for Home	21	(12)
Doris Jean Austin
My Man Bovanne	33	(6)
Toni Cade Bambara
Mondongo	39	(17)
Amiri Baraka
Spilled Salt	56	(9)
Barbara Neely
My Soul is a Witness	65	(6)
Don Belton
Johnnieruth	71	(6)
Becky Birtha
The Chaneysville Incident	77	(10)
David Bradley
I Was Here But I Disappeared	87	(15)
Wesley Brown
Wild Seed	102	(16)
Octavia Butler
Muz and the Sphere of Memory	118	(9)
Xam Wilson Cartier
Emma	127	(12)
Carolyn Cole
Lonnie's Cousin	139	(7)
Wanda Coleman
The Life You Live (May Not Be Your Own)	146	(18)
J. California Cooper
Upward Bound	164	(14)
Steven Corbin
Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand	178	(16)
Samuel R. Delany
Love Story Black	194	(14)
William Demby
The Boy With Beer	208	(10)
Melvin Dixon
The Vibraphone	218	(13)
Rita Dove
In the Shadow of the Peacock	231	(12)
Grace Edwards-Yearwood
Platitudes	243	(10)
Trey Ellis
Suder	253	(12)
Percival L. Everett
De Mojo Blues	265	(9)
Arthur Flowers
I Heard the Doctor Speak	274	(11)
Sandra Hollin Flowers
Tomorrow	285	(12)
Bill Williams Forde
In My Father's House	297	(10)
Ernest Gaines
A Woman's Place	307	(12)
Marita Golden
The Vampire Who Drinks Gospel Music	319	(12)
Peter Harris
Snapshots of Grace	331	(12)
Safiya Henderson-Holmes
Surviving Christmas	343	(10)
Kristin Hunter
Treemont Stone	353	(16)
Angela Jackson
China	369	(17)
Charles Johnson
Eva's Man	386	(10)
Gayl Jones
Homesick Blues	396	(9)
William Melvin Kelley
A Visitation of Spirits	405	(13)
Randall Kenan
Lush Life	418	(15)
John McCluskey
Sister Detroit	433	(13)
Colleen McElroy
From Djbot Baghostus's Run	446	(11)
Nathaniel Mackey
Ma'Dear	457	(9)
Terry McMillan
A Loaf of Bread	466	(17)
James Alan McPherson
Such Was the Season	483	(8)
Clarence Major
Praisesong for the Widow	491	(13)
Paule Marshall
The Upper Room	504	(16)
Mary Monroe
Mama Day	520	(18)
Gloria Naylor
Family Matters	538	(10)
Richard Perry
Sweet Evening Breeze	548	(14)
Darryl Pinckney
Hoodoo	562	(5)
Connie Porter
The Terrible Threes	567	(9)
Ishmael Reed
Before Echo	576	(6)
Fatima Shaik
Betsey Brown	582	(11)
Ntozake Shange
A Feast of Fools	593	(8)
Ellease Southerland
Social Work	601	(14)
Barbara Summers
Judgment	615	(15)
Cliff Thompson
The Abortion	630	(9)
Alice Walker
Fever	639	(22)
John Edgar Wideman
Sissie	661	(10)
John A. Williams
Seduction by Light	671	(12)
Al Young
Contributors	683