Read Until You Understand
The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature
by Farah Jasmine Griffin
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Pub Date 14 Sep 2021 | Archive Date 31 Aug 2021
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Description
“A masterpiece.... Farah Jasmine Griffin’s magical words enchant and empower us like those of her towering heroes.” —Cornel West
Farah Jasmine Griffin’s beloved father died when she was nine, bequeathing her an unparalleled inheritance in closets full of remarkable books and other records of Black genius. In Read Until You Understand—a line from a note he wrote to her—she shares a lifetime of discoveries: the ideas that framed the US Constitution and that inspired Malcolm X’s fervent speeches, the soulful music of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, the daring literature of Phillis Wheatley and Toni Morrison, the artistry of Romare Bearden, and many others.
Having taught a popular Columbia University survey course of Black literature, she explores themes such as grace, justice, rage, self-determination, beauty, and mercy to help readers grapple with the ongoing project that is American democracy. Joining her experiences in Black communities with her immersion in the glorious works of Black artists, Read Until You Understand is a powerful testament to the enduring wisdom of Black culture and history.
Category: Literary Criticism
About the Author: Farah Jasmine Griffin was the inaugural chair of Department of African American & African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University, where she is also William B. Ransford Professor of English and Comparative Literature.
Advance Praise
"Farah Jasmine Griffin is one of the few great intellectuals in our time! This wise and powerful memoir is a masterpiece. She beautifully weaves her profound devotion to the life of the mind with her deep and abiding love of Black people and culture. Griffin’s magical words enchant and empower us like those of her towering heroes—Toni Morrison, Billie Holiday, James Baldwin and Wilhelmena Griffin!" - Cornel West
"Farrah Griffin’s vivid, passionate, and powerful tribute to the great gifts of Black culture offers a deep dive into such fundamental human themes as freedom, justice, rage, death, beauty, and love, as lived and celebrated through her own experience, music, and creative art, and that of countless others in the community she embraces, from the legacy of Black history to her own family, her wide explorations of literature and art, and her close friendship with many artists and writers." - Elaine Pagels
"Read Until You Understand gives us Dr. Farah Jasmine Griffin in full and mighty sail. Keen cultural analysis, storytelling, and gorgeous lyricism combine in this book that makes a genre of its own. In recollection is profound insight here; we have a portrait of a rich black community in place and time and the teachers Griffin finds in neighborhood, family, books, and music. The sounds, words, and wisdom black folks make also make us, and no one understands that better, nor expresses it with more beauty and power, than Griffin. This book is a talking book, a teaching book, and a treasure. I will read it again and again." - Elizabeth Alexander
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9780393651904 |
| PRICE | US$26.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Heather J, Educator
If you're a person who wants to dive more deeply into the history of African-American literature, and needs some guidance, I can't think of any book that would be better for the purpose than "Read Until You Understand."
The title comes from guidance the author got from her father, when he gave her a book about Black history when she was, perhaps, too young for it. But it's also advice for the reader of this book.
Reading the book is like taking a survey of African-American literature in college, from a really good professor. You could just sit back and listen to the lectures (read the book) and learn a lot. But if you actually follow the trail of this book and read the books she's discussing, you'll connect on a much deeper level. Reading books tends to lead to other books, and so this book, used thoughtfully, could unlock years or decades of reading for the curious reader.
Whether you read it for itself, or use it as a guide for further reading, this book is well worth your time.
Cam M, Reviewer
Written by a professor of English and Comparative Literature, this is part memoir, part literary criticism, and part a cultural history of America. Griffin tells us about her father, their relationship, and how she came to know herself better through the literature and music he encouraged her to read and listen to. I think you might get more out of it if you are already familiar with the literature she references (for example, works by Toni Morrison, Frederick Douglas, Richard Wright), but this is an enlightening read (especially to a Brit like me), as educational about the African American experience as it is about literature, and has given me lots of ideas for further reading.
