Following the publication and phenomenal success of her first novel, Terry McMillan did a very selfless thing and edited this anthology of work by some of her contemporaries. For those of us who thirsted to read even more fiction from African American writers, this project provided the springboard for bringing many of them into the limelight.

This particular book, more than any other, has provided the foundation for the library I have accumulated to date. I used this book to define my library purchases; each of the diverse authors whose submissions gave examples of different writing styles, perspectives and genres. I highly recommend any reader seeking new authors pick an anthology to familiarize themselves with new material. This one contains many authors who have since become household names (J. California Cooper, Ntozake Shange, Tina McElroy Ansa, Ishmael Reed, Daryl Pinkney, et al) and have gone on to publish multiple works to world-wide recognition.

I highly recommend this book to those seeking additional sources for expanding your knowledge of African American writers in all genres. This collection is one of the best. ( )