I had no idea what to expect with Women of the Harlem Renaissance, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance.
From the wonderful introduction, by Marissa Constantinou, I was riveted by the stories of women celebrating their art and talent in a time of joyous artistry.

It was a pleasure to discover short stories by the author of one of my favourite novels, Passing, Nella Larson, and those of Clara Ann Thompson. And I enjoyed that the stories were interspersed with poems, ‘Motherhood’ by Gertrude Mossell being one of my favourites.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Really important contribution - I have bought this book to finish, as I did not manage to finish this in time - but it is in line with my interests, and I have recommended it widely.

I thought I could not love jazz music more before I read this book. To see how women of the Harlem Renaissance carry a whole movement in the 1930s is thoroughly beautiful to read. Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

A fascinating and well-chosen anthology of short stories and poems by women of the Harlem Renaissance - defined broadly to include the 1930s, "the years when many women finally were able to find publishers for their novels and space to exhibit their artwork."

I very much enjoyed reading lesser-known (to me, at least) stories by Nella Larsen, the only author whose work I had previously read, and being introduced to a plethora of other writers, many of whom have hitherto been overlooked - since, as the editor points out in her excellent introduction, Anthologies are important in determining who gets remembered, whose ideas matter and how we understand our pasts... [and have been] long controlled by white and usually male Americans." This long-overdue collection showcases and celebrates these neglected voices, and does so insightfully and engagingly. It spans a good variety of genres and styles, and as other reviewers have observed, does not shy away from including multiple works by the same author, where the quality of writing warrants this.

I read an ARC kindly provided by Pan Macmillan for an ARC via NetGalley, but will be buying my own copy and probably several more to give to friends.

When I think of the Harlem Renaissance, I think of Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen and Zora Neale Hurston. And, while Larsen is featured few times in this wonderful collection, we are also introduced to lesser well-known writers from that era. There's a great mix of poetry, short stories and extracts from longer works.

What was interesting to see as well were how many of the pieces were published in journals of the time but never traditionally published in collections of their own right which makes this book all the more important as its publication now lends a certain legitimacy to these pieces and cements their place in literary history.

This is as a gem of a book. I think it's a great way to get a feel for the issues faced by Black women at the time. It also provides some insight into the moral values of the period and the writing conventions that were popular. Much of the poetry included here followed the fashion of British romantic poets in the form of sonnets and rhyming couplets. This made me wonder whether Black women of that time thought their work would garner more gravitas if it were written in a more traditionally literary style. It makes me grateful to live in a time where Black women can write books in any genre, in dialect, colloquial language or even experimental form and still be taken seriously as artists, this was no doubt made possible, in no small part, by the work of women such as those featured in this collection. A must-read for everyone, there is something for every reader here.

This was a fascinating and insightful read, showcasing talented black female authors who helped pioneer the renaissance and never getting their credit. The introduction was vital in this collection, it gave a clear explanation of what the Harlem renaissance was with a brief history, the significance of the renaissance and why this particular female anthology is so important in helping shape the narrative.
The short stories and poems in this collection introduced me to a lot of black female authors that I had never known about previously. Many of the works centre around experiences of racism and the tensions of interracial relationships/communities and black communities progressing. The struggles and limitations forced onto black love, black beauty and black motherhood all told through different perspectives. The women in this anthology were not afraid to highlight the terrible struggles and ugly truths of what 1920s America was like, ranging from passing, Jim Crow and lynchings.

I really enjoyed reading the vast range of voices in the anthology, with the use of dialect, it was made clear where about the author was from which added to the overall experience and education as I was able to compare the nuisances of how the north and south differed but also the concerning similarities which are shied away from mainstream media today. Each author presented a new experience, emotion and reflection, leaving feelings of happiness, sorrow and anger. There was a mix between personal experiences and cautionary tales stemming from the fears of what has happened to many black individuals in America. A great insightful and educational read by talented black women where their talent and passion shines through.

My favourite pieces were noticeably ‘Gerarda’ by Eloise Bibb Thompson of a bride in grief wanting to be set free from her cage and being reunited with her love; ‘The foolish and the wise’ and ‘Nothing New’ both by Clara Ann Thompson that asked the uncomfortable questions and highlighting the irony and hypocrisy of black communities living in a supposed “free nation” and the very real physical dangers of being black. ‘The closing door’ by Georgia Douglas Johnson which was a very emotive short story exploring what its like being a mother and the fears of bringing a black child into the cruel society, which was continued on perfectly with the short poem ‘Motherhood’ by Gertrude Mossell. And finally the ‘Silent Protest Parade’ by Carrie Williams Clifford, a short story that expresses hope of change moving towards a more equal society.

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A poignant collection of tales about life and justice. A great read that takes you briefly into so many peoples stories.

This collection of poems and stories was enlightening and I really enjoyed dipping in and out.

The prologue was very insightful too.

Thank you for the arc.

A great collection of under appreciated poetry and short stories. My favourite was Nella Larson’s but it also introduced me to so many new authors whose work I’ll now be checking out.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Marissa Constantinou and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

A collection of short stories and poetry from black women artists in the Harlem Renaissance was depicted honestly and beautifully. I read it in one sitting and would recommend it!

Women of the Harlem Renaissance is a collection of poems and stories by women writers from the Harlem Renaissance, collected together as an introduction to writers outside of some of the mainstream narratives. There's multiple pieces by some writers and they are broadly organised to alternative between poetry and stories, making it a varied reading experience and appealing to people regardless of if they prefer one or the other. I particularly enjoyed a lot of the poetry, many of which engage with the personal and political, and the collection highlights some of the female Black poets writing at the time. A short introduction gives a little context, and there's some suggested further reading at the end, making this an ideal way to discover more female writers from the period and then explore further.

An amazing literary anthology written by women of harlem renaissance. A great piece to get started on reading women literature. Also would definitely love to own this because this cover… stunning

This is a fabulous anthology - firstly, it's rare to have a collection where pretty much all the pieces earn their keep; secondly, the mix of poetry and short stories may introduce poetry by stealth to people who wouldn't usually choose to read it; and thirdly, the editor is not afraid to give us multiple entries by some writers, one factor which may contribute the keeping the general quality high.

The only writer here I was previously familiar with is Nella Larsen so it's great to explore more of her work. I also especially loved the sly 'The Foolish and the Wise' by Leila Amos Pendleton.

More generally, though, this is an important collection for the way it opens up a genealogy for Black women's writing which doesn't start with Toni Morrison/Alice Walker/Maya Angelou et al. The women collected here are breaking new ground in the first two decades of the twentieth century through their uses of dialect and regional accents, their head-on confrontation with the ugliness of Jim Crow, lynchings and other forms of violent oppression, and their delineations of Black American culture that is generally excluded from mainstream literature of this period.

Dealing with topics of passing, of the relationships between men and women, of outright racism and racial politics, the writing contained here is stylistically varied and wide-ranging. A bold, revelatory and much-needed project.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the chance to read and review Women of the Harlem Renaissance, edited by Marissa Constantinou.

This book consists of short stories and poems by different women. It's a great way to check out different writers and see whose style might be to your taste before reading more by them. I particularly liked the Abyss by Nella Larson and can't wait to read more of her work. I also really loved the poems Hope by Clara Ann Thompson, Motherhood by Georgie Douglas Johnson, and Regret by Olivia Ward Bush-Banks.

This book celebrates the women who contributed and are the face of Harlem resistance. Very powerful, nuances and sour stirring collection of poetry and writing rich in history. An absolute piece of gem.

I rrally enjoyed each poem and story in the compilation. The writing is superb throughout. I could not go to sleep until I had vanished the book. I have wanted to read more women writers from the Harlem renaissance. This book was the perfect gateway.