Double-take

Book excerpt: In this important new anthology. Venetria K. Patton and Maureen Honey bring together a comprehensive scicction of texts from the Harlem Renalssance a key period in the literary and cultural history of the cultural life of the United States. The collection revolutionizes our way of viewing this era, as it redresses the ongoing emphasis on the male writers of this time. Double.Take offers a unique, balanced collection of writers - men and women, gay and straight, familiar and obscure. The editors have also included works from a wide variety of genres poetry, short stories, drama, essays, music, and art - allowing readers to understand the true interdisciplinary quality of this cultural movement. Biographical sketches of the authors are provided and most of the places are included in their entirely. Double.Take also includes artwork and illustrations, many of which are from periodicals and have never before been reprinted. Significantly, Double-Take is the first book to include music lyrics to illustrate the interrelation of various art forms. Arranged by author, rather than by genre, this anthology includes works from major Harlem Renaissance figures as well as often-overlooked essay