On Becoming an American Writer: Essays and Nonfiction

James Alan McPherson is an under-recognized American author who has written essays on race, education, fame, law, and America's past and future. He was the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1978. This collection includes profiles of Richard Pryor, Ralph Ellison, and his mentor, as well as meditations on family and connections between writer and reader. McPherson's work is a model of humanistic imagining, an attempt to get past race and create a singular American identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 10 February 2023
Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher Inc

Discover the remarkable mind and compassionate vision of an underappreciated American author. These essays, spanning themes of race, education, fame, law, and America's past and future, showcase James Alan McPherson at his most insightful and invaluable.

Born in segregated 1940s Georgia, McPherson pursued a legal education at Harvard Law School before abandoning the profession to pursue writing. In 1978, he achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. However, McPherson's literary prowess extended beyond fiction, as this collection vividly demonstrates.

These essays encompass a diverse range of topics, from McPherson's captivating profile of comedian Richard Pryor on the brink of his fame to a heartfelt tribute to his mentor, Ralph Ellison. They also include a harrowing account of his near-fatal battle with viral meningitis and the poignant story of how McPherson became a reluctant landlord to an elderly Black woman and her family. Throughout, McPherson explores the profound connections that define us as human beings, including the intimate connections between writer and reader.

In his nonfiction, McPherson frequently sought ways to transcend the limitations imposed by white supremacy. He writes about his early education, lamenting the suppression of curiosity and the acceptance of a predetermined fate. He emphasizes the power of books as keys that can unlock our minds from the mental prisons constructed to confine us.

The collection's curator, Anthony Walton, highlights McPherson's ability to bridge the gap between different communities. He writes, "In his nonfiction, McPherson was often looking for a way 'beyond the mo. In his fiction, he was looking for a way 'beyond the mo. In his essays, he was looking for a way 'beyond the mo. And in his life, he was looking for a way 'beyond the mo.'"

Through his words, McPherson offers a profound exploration of the human experience, challenging societal norms and promoting empathy and understanding. His legacy as a writer and a thinker continues to inspire and resonate with readers, reminding us of the importance of storytelling and the power of literature to shape our world.

Dimension: 191 x 133 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781567927481